Star Trek: Eternal Soul
by SonOfTed
Summary: An ancient being with awesome powers wants to renew its journey through the galaxy... but first it has a bone to pick with Starfleet. Fan fiction based on SIX Star Trek television series! Read me SECOND!
1. Prologue: Awakening

**DISCLAIMERS:** _The following is fan fiction utilizing events and characters from SIX "Star Trek" television incarnations including a character first introduced in the short-lived Saturday morning cartoon. As a kid, the animated series was my first exposure to Star Trek and is still unofficially recognized as the "fourth season" of the original series. You will also find bits and pieces sprinkled here and there throughout each chapter from the feature films. _

_It is fan fiction only… there is no intent to collect income or infringe on the trademarks, copyrights, or patented work of others. Please DO NOT use this material for anything other than pure reading enjoyment. If you have been missing at least occasional new "Star Trek" episodes in your life, this is the place to come. It is rated "T" for teen, but be forewarned – there is some mature PG-13 type (MPAA rating) content also contained within._

_This novel switches back in forth through time - chronicling occurrences that span all televised generations of Star Trek. The primary, central focus of this tale centers around the 24__th__ Century… shortly before the events of the "Star Trek: Insurrection" feature film. Many of the professionally published book storylines have at times varied from what we have seen on screen anyway. Thus the majority of what you will read is based upon my own ideas combined with the stories that we have viewed at home on TV and while munching popcorn in the movie theatres._

_My sincere thanks to Gene Roddenberry and the owners of the Trek franchise who created this imaginative, optimistic future universe for our imaginations to play in! Kudos also to Hal Sutherland and Samuel. A. Peeples for their wonderful animated episode "Beyond The Farthest Star"… the inspiration behind much of this story. _

* * *

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Prologue: Awakening**

* * *

"_Captain's Log, Stardate 5221.3: On outward course beyond the fringe of our galaxy towards Questar M-17, a source of mysterious radio emissions. Mission… star charting."_

* * *

Within minutes of recording that most memorable log entry, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the starship _Enterprise_ found themselves caught in the grip of a massive gravity well. Waves of intense, unseen turbulence emanating from the negative mass of the M-17 dead star caught them tightly in its grasp, and all initial attempts to reverse course and escape its clutches failed utterly. Facing the imminent loss of his starship and all hands who served aboard her, Kirk had no alternative except to counter his previous instructions by ordering full _forward_ thrust.

By traveling _toward_ the immense tug of the imploded star's gravity rather than fighting its relentless pull, helmsman Hikaru Sulu succeeded in transferring _Enterprise_'s rapid acceleration into a last ditch orbital maneuver that averted certain, catastrophic disaster. Orbiting the dead star turned out to be a temporary solution, however, since the crew was now faced with the unenviable task of somehow finding a way to re-engage engines and attain the needed escape velocity to break their ship free again.

Fortunately, this crew already had a great deal of prior experience along with both ship and the skills required to deal with this type of gravitational disturbance. By using Questar's enormous pull as an advantage, Kirk was fully confident that his crew would be able to build up significant momentum and then make use of it to 'slingshot' their vessel outward to a safe distance.

Plans to leave were quickly put on hold. Shortly after arriving, the _Enterprise_ located the source of the radio emissions - an alien starship that was also orbiting the M-17 gravity well. It was a massive, elegantly lined vessel that had been stranded long, long ago – stranded for what seemed like an eternity by any ordinary timeframe.

Upon completing a preliminary scan of the vessel, Kirk and company soon began to make a series of additional incredible discoveries. The most amazing of these was the realization that this strange alien ship had been constructed by an ancient, plant-based sentient species that _wove_ together fibers of metallic alloy that were somehow _spun_ as opposed to being heated and forged using known, conventional methods.

The alien vessel was massive - composed of varying sized purple and bluish-gray pods with hexagonal shaped windows sprinkled seemingly at random across each surface. All of the pods were expertly linked together by thinner, intertwined 'branches' into an overall, very aesthetically pleasing variation on the standard known starship designs…

_The alien starship was also more than 300 million years old._

That revelation was startling enough, but further observation by a boarding party consisting of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Scotty clouded matters even further. To even the most untrained eye, it was blatantly obvious that the exterior hull on each of the enigmatic vessel's pods had been tragically blown apart from the inside out… sabotage apparently carried out while the starship's own crew had still been alive. It was both shocking and tragic to behold.

_Were the aliens unable to escape from Questar M-17's gravity and thus decided to commit themselves to a quick, painless death rather than a slower, inevitable demise?_

The mystery behind the alien ship's destruction resolved itself very quickly; in fact, the sinister truth was revealed even before the boarding party returned to the _Enterprise_. As things turned out, the ancient race of plant-based life forms who constructed and flew such a fantastically magnificent interstellar vessel had _indeed_ chosen to destroy it… and methodically so.

Piece by piece the enigmatic aliens had blown apart critical systems and exposed the majority of their ship's interior to the lifeless vacuum that was outer space. Those unknown beings from so long ago had purged the vessel of both power and life - had in fact destroyed its usefulness in its entirety so that the dark and deadly _thing_ that was also trapped with them would be unable to make use of it and escape. Eons later, as the _Enterprise_ boarding party stood firmly on board their most remarkable discovery to date, it was Mr. Scott who summed up what they were all thinking with one simple sentence…

"_But nothing – no form of life – could survive 300 _million_ years…"_

Unfortunately, as things turned out… something _had_ survived.

The entity beamed back to the _Enterprise_, hiding amongst the boarding party and then quickly merging itself with the ship's electronic systems. It took full advantage of its formless properties as a being of formless, electromagnetic energy. Within minutes, the dangerous alien captured control of the main computer and from there began to use its influence to spread chaotic malfunctions throughout the ship while it absorbed the data in the starship's memory banks.

_All of it._

Fortunately, the entity's status as a shapeless being of energy also worked to its disadvantage. Since the starship was sophisticated but not fully automated, the menacing life form soon discovered that it required the cooperation of at least _some_ of the _Enterprise_ crew in order to escape from Questar's gravity well.

Recognizing this, it used its electronic influence to seize control of a new, prototype Automated Bridge Defense System. With the overhead phaser emitters at its command, the alien proceeded to use them at various intensity settings in an effort to both threaten and discipline the bridge crew. It wanted nothing short of total compliance with all of its demands.

_Obey me_, it cried over and over – its strange emotionless voice emanating from the communications speakers. It had learned their language and could now speak to them directly using their own Federation standard. _Obey me!_

The Starfleet crew was well trained, difficult to coerce, and eventually they managed to defeat the intruder when the Captain abruptly decided to play a very dangerous game of space 'chicken'. Like the alien ship's commander before him, Kirk was _also_ fully prepared to sacrifice both ship and crew to prevent the creature from escaping from its dark and isolated 'space prison'.

Having been stranded in this manner once before, the creature was quite desperate and fiercely determined to succeed. It did everything in its power to prevent the Starfleet crew from destroying the _Enterprise_. When use of the ABDS failed to intimidate the humans, it methodically increased the intensity of the phaser beams fired from the new system until they began to approach lethal levels. It intended to execute them - one by one, if necessary - until those who wanted to survive gave in and complied with its demands.

_But Kirk knew that too. _

Without warning, the Captain used helm control access and cut power to the ship's engines, dropping the _Enterprise_ almost instantly out of orbit and accelerating down toward the pock-marked surface of Questar. As his starship plunged toward certain doom, Kirk covertly began programming in coordinates necessary for a slingshot warp maneuver around the dead star that would very likely throw them into a higher, safer orbit. The coordinates had been privately calculated by Mr. Spock, since use of the main computer would have alerted the alien to their plan. Kirk wanted the entity to _panic_.

In the end, the Captain's gamble paid off and the alien became terrified at the mere mention of also engaging warp drive – it misunderstood their intentions completely and decided to put its own survival ahead of all other objectives. As the _Enterprise_ continued to drop rapidly toward the long-dead sun, the entity released its hold on their computer systems and leaped back out into space and away from the starship.

Since the entity had also made use of the _Enterprise_'s main phaser banks to shoot down the alien starship, its own short-sightedness returned to haunt it almost immediately. For the first time in countless centuries it had no ship to hide on, and it was immediately seized by Questar's gravity and absorbed by the planetoid.

The bridge crew verified that the entity had fled and then proceeded to implement the rest of their escape plan. Although the _Enterprise_ had taken quite a pounding on the trip in, the durable starship managed to hold together – as usual - and break Questar's hold on them. Sulu quickly angled them outward and away from the source of the gravity, all the while keeping their aft viewscreen fixed on the receding image of the dead star behind them.

As they moved into a much higher orbit, the angry, dark green glow that had, for a brief time, lit up their starship's hull could now be seen surrounding the dead star. Additionally, it became obvious that the entity had retained the energy and information it had stolen, for the crew could still hear the strange being making use of their language and communications as it desperately begged them not to leave it behind… abandoning it to a never-ending, isolated existence for a second time.

_So lonely… please… don't leave me…_ it wailed in despair as they left orbit and cruised back toward normal space.

Unknown to Kirk and crew, the entity's vast intelligence had been completely transformed in the short time that it had interacted with the Starfleet vessel. Once the creature moved past its initial disappointment at its foolishness in allowing Kirk's crew to deceive it long enough to escape, the mysterious electromagnetic being began to realize that it had already taken from the _Enterprise_ everything that it needed in order to leave the massive gravity well far behind. The only remaining item it required was something with which it was very familiar… _time_.

And the bowels of the long dead, imploded Questar M-17 dead star had always provided it with plenty of that…

_TIME_ to plan its escape.

* * *

Questar M-17 lies near the very tip of the outer, "Perseus External" spiral arm of the Milky Way. In journeying there, _Enterprise_ had most definitely achieved its objective and explored _beyond the farthest star of the galaxy_. The starship had journeyed so far from home, in fact, that the only interstellar object left between them and the endless empty void lying between galaxies was the dangerous crimson force field lurking nearby.

Kirk and his crew had encountered that phenomenon - the energy field surrounding their galaxy - on several occasions already. They knew that there was plenty of danger lying within its depths and that venturing there again would not be a good idea. No one knew what powered it, who had created it, or why it was there. Many theories had been presented over the years, including the possibility that it was a product of nature, or perhaps something placed there long ago to keep the inhabitants of the Milky Way isolated and trapped within the confines of their own galaxy.

It had also been speculated that perhaps it had been created to keep something unknown _out_.

Regardless of the truth, no one argued that traveling too close to the barrier was dangerous. Thus after exploring a bit further and charting only empty space, the _Enterprise_ reversed its heading back toward the interior of the alpha quadrant while its Captain reported in to Starfleet. After that, the starship altered course a second time and leaped into warp on its way toward the crew's next assignment.

The incident within the intense Questar gravity field quickly became a seldom-referenced log entry… no further contact was allowed since warning beacons were hastily set up to warn other ships from venturing too close to that most dangerous environmental hazard. Spock made an additional entry to the Science Officer's log, noting in it his regret at the loss of the alien starship. He considered the lost opportunity to make additional, more detailed surveys of its design along with a study of the culture that had crewed it to be a most tragic loss.

* * *

As the _Enterprise_ vanished into warp, the magnetic energy being hovering above Questar watched them go. Its anger, which had long been building over the centuries, rapidly escalated to the boiling point and became outright hatred.

_It was their function as lower life forms, after all, to serve _it

Long ago, the plant-based organisms had given the magnetic entity a name. Using Federation universal translation algorithms, its name converted to _Mictlantecuhtli_ – or _god of death_. Prior to its discovery by those ancient races, it had also been known as the _Vryke_. Since the pod-based alien starship was an energy collector, designed to make use of the renewable visible and non-visible magnetic electromagnetic energy surrounding it, the Vryke had been drawn to it like iron filings to a magnet.

The Vryke had been space based… primarily using the gravitational fields from stellar objects surrounding it to maneuver through space. The attraction from the alien starship had interested it, and – its curiosity aroused - it had made use of their energy collection system to come aboard. The alien ship's crew had expected the ship's systems to harness _all_ energy, and had not been prepared for a sentient, energy-based intruder.

The alien Captain's decisions thereafter were extremely logical, arrived at based upon a hurried discussion with his frightened crew. He first ordered them into the gravity well in the hopes that the massive turbulence there would rid their ship of its unwanted passenger. When that strategy failed, he met with his crew one last time before making the final, fateful decision to destroy the ship. This unexpected turn of events had totally stymied the newly-trapped Vryke, and it had been angry beyond words.

Then the years of isolation had begun to creep slowly by… an eternity that seemingly had no end. Within several centuries the Vryke's intelligence had quite understandably gone insane, and anger became a hunger that it could never totally satisfy. It could still hear the recorded message echoing in its mind… the one that had so recently been discovered and played by Kirk's boarding party:

"_Danger… danger… the dead star; we are being drawn to it. Rather than carry this malevolent life form to other worlds, we have decided to destroy our own ship. There is no other answer. If you understand this message, you are protected only for this moment in this room…"_

Thus the Vryke was no longer interested in simply escaping… somehow the entity wanted to find a way to make Captain James T. Kirk – and Earth – pay for leaving it behind. The humans had not obeyed its order to carry it out of the gravity well; instead, they had abandoned it and thought it simply a helpless castaway once more.

_But they would suffer the consequences caused by their short-sightedness._

Slowly at first, and then more rapidly, its confidence grew as the entity began to review the data that it had stolen from the starship's data banks. Its plan was in place almost immediately, a two-pronged objective designed to escape from its isolated prison and – at the same time – enact revenge against the humans that had angered it.

_And while it was at it, why not also find a way to destroy their home worlds, starting first with Earth?_

The Vryke had to be careful though, because the humans knew about its existence now and would be prepared for it if it were suddenly to surface again. So it sifted through the _Enterprise_ database and studied the vast library of information on instellar objects and alien life forms catalogued within. The answer became obvious – it needed a large source of power to achieve its goals, and the gravity well surrounding it was the perfect choice. Since it now knew a great deal more about faster than light travel and subspace, it also had the information that would be needed to manipulate both.

Questar M-17's gravity dug very deeply into subspace, so the solution to all the Vryke's problems was quite obviously a wormhole. The entity wanted to be certain that it escaped entirely – once and for all – with no possibility that it could _ever_ be contained again. The humans had been clever enough to outwit it once before; there was no reason to deny the distinct possibility that they might be able to do so again.

So it chose a starting point and then carved _TWO_ wormholes through the subspace event horizon surrounding Questar. One of them led backwards in time just shy of a century, with an exit in the vicinity of – but not too close to - Earth. The second stretched far across the galaxy, past the nuclear bulge at its center and somewhere deep within one of the spiral arms on the opposite side. The second wormhole poked into the future, and was created specifically as the Vryke's backup option. If something went wrong with its plan to seek revenge on the humans before they even knew of its existence, then it would simply use the first wormhole to return to Questar and then access the entrance to the second and use it as an escape route to an entirely new home somewhere far across the galaxy.

Either option would be satisfactory. And given that its lifespan was nearly incalculable, time was most definitely on its side. It had briefly considered the option of waiting patiently for a few centuries, and then making use of the _Enterprise_ data. This idea was quickly rejected, primarily because the Vryke was quite simply _tired_ of waiting. But it was not stupid… although it had been trapped and isolated in the gravity well for such a long time it had also been _safe_. Thus it was determined to make use of its reproductive properties and send copies of itself out into the galaxy. It wanted to investigate the local environment and conquer _first_… once everything and everyone out _there_ was completely under its control it could safely reappear.

_The Vryke was extremely satisfied with its plan._

One wormhole dug into the past, emerging near Earth where a naïve, earlier generation of humans was probably just beginning its exploration of space. The second wormhole, by comparison, extended nearly 90,000 light years across most of the galaxy. Its exit point was just shy of 100 years in the future.

One wormhole would give the Vryke access to a generation past, while the second would allow it to see a piece of the future – this time _without_ the wait.

_How fitting._


	2. Stalemate

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter I: Stalemate

* * *

**

_Captain's Log, February 23, 2156. _Columbia_ is currently en route to investigate a distress signal we received that appears to have originated near Tau Ceti. Normally there isn't a lot of heavy traffic in that region, although occasionally there are still merchant ships using it as a shortcut to the Rigel system. I am told that the communication we received was from a Tellarite freighter, but other than that our information is limited since the message abruptly terminated after only a few seconds._

_Starfleet communications have been buzzing with gossip all morning, but Jonathan Archer and the _Enterprise_ are currently visiting the Andorian home world as they continue to work the diplomatic angle toward formation of a united coalition of planets. Over the past year, warp five space exploration has become much more routine than in those earliest days when the NX-01 first pushed outward… perhaps this distress signal will add a little excitement to our lives. Tau Ceti is only 11.9 light years from Earth, after all, so we expect to arrive there in another four hours. In the meantime, I have been using the brief respite available to me to say hello to an old friend.

* * *

_

Captain Erika Hernandez leaned back in her chair and smiled at the image of the handsome young man on the viewing screen in front of her. Erika was in her quarters, and although the transmission from _Enterprise_ contained a bit of static, once she factored in the distance the signal was traveling back and forth between them she found herself amazed at just how well Starfleet's new relay buoys were working.

"So what's new on _Enterprise_ these days Trip?" she asked with an amused expression. Charles Tucker 'the third' was a charming, boyish man with a great sense of humor. He was also an experienced orbital engineer and one of the hardest working officers in Starfleet.

"Not much," the sandy-haired Commander replied with just a touch of a Southern accent. "Chef's making catfish and fried potatoes tonight so I've been down in engineering most of the day working up an appetite."

Hernandez shook her head just slightly at his comment. "I still regret not managing to steal you away from Jonathan," she told him honestly. "It's regrettable that you've chosen to serve on the _second_ best warp five starship in the fleet… you could have been number one with us."

"Why Captain Hernandez, I do believe your pride is showing," said Trip with a hearty chuckle. "I trust you're calling in regards to the Tau Ceti distress call."

"That's correct. I'm afraid our planned rendezvous near Rigel may be delayed a bit. It's becoming way too easy for Starfleet to assign your ship or mine to investigate all of the mysterious unknowns these days." She tossed her head to one side and her dark, tightly knotted ponytail followed an instant later. "Please let your Captain know that we'll send an update after evaluating the situation."

Trip nodded. "I will, but you _could_ have just left that information with Hoshi," he pointed out. "You didn't have to pull me away from my engine."

"I wanted to talk to _you_," Hernandez countered. "Jonathan and I regularly have enough time for small talk after finishing our strategic planning sessions with Starfleet. It's nice to know those subspace buoys your crew deployed are living up to all the hype they received."

"They're a good idea, but I'll personally feel a lot better once our planned coalition of planets is formed," decided Trip. "It's too easy for someone to knock down buoys with one well placed torpedo… we'll be able to set up a much more reliable, long-term network if some of these alien governments we're talking to eventually agree to build starbases within their territory."

"Agreed," she said, glancing down at the half-finished report she had been working on and sitting deep in thought for a moment. Trip waited patiently and raised an eyebrow as she suddenly gave him a mischievous smile. "When we do rendezvous, you could come aboard for a visit… perhaps say hello to some of your old friends here?" she suggested. "I'll even have our own chef cook up anything you want."

Commander Tucker laughed merrily. "I'd be happy to, but first _you_ have to promise not to dangle me out your shuttle bay while cruising along at warp five."

Erika Hernandez found herself laughing along with him. "I think I can safely guarantee that won't happen again, Commander..."

His eyes twinkled. "How are things near home?"

She paused for a moment before answering him. "A little too routine for my taste... Starfleet has us busy clearing the high traffic corridors that your crew initially had the most difficulty with. At least one of those hostile species you encountered during those first few months out of drydock was definitely planning to stake a claim to our turf. They've been back a few times already, but I think we finally sent them the message that they're not welcome on our doorstep."

"That's good to hear." Commander Tucker shook his head with a bit of dismay at the news. "The competition for territory out here is fierce… I hope Starfleet continues its plan to build additional warp five engines, because we're going to need them."

Erika nodded. "Your efforts and cooperation with the Vulcans have really sold them on the benefits of a joint effort. I've even heard rumors that the High Council may send several engineering crews to work with us on design schematics for future starships."

"So they'll _still_ be keeping secrets from us… just not as many?"

"Now Commander, that's not exactly the ringing endorsement I thought I'd hear."

"That's because I sincerely feel we've done pretty well on our own," decided Tucker firmly, shrugging his shoulders.

"Be sure to pass along my update to Captain Archer before you disappear back into the depths of your engine room," she reminded him.

"I will," Trip replied reassuringly.

"Hernandez out."

The Captain felt a small tinge of regret as Trip's face vanished from the computer monitor situated on the corner of her desk. Tucker was one of the most optimistic, positive people she had ever met, and his transfer to _Columbia_ – although brief – had provided a lot of her engineers with a much needed mentor during those first few days out of space dock. Warp engines tended to be finicky creatures even after hours of reliable testing, so men like Commander Tucker possessed skills more valuable than gold on ships traveling through deep space.

Hernandez spent another hour meticulously listing the major recent events recorded in her log entries and then summarized them on the report she was preparing for Starfleet. Most people she met loathed paperwork, but even the most ambitious of those would have a tough time rising to the rank of Captain. Providing Starfleet Command with accurate details and intelligence was a critical part of her job; a hurried report was likely to be an inaccurate and primarily useless one.

Her father had always told her not to make excuses. _If you don't have the time to do it right_, he had often reminded her, _be prepared to make time to do it over_.

Once the rather lengthy data file was finished she flagged it on her workstation so that the bridge Communications Officer would send it during their next transmission cycle with Starfleet. She stood up slowly, stretching her tall, lanky frame. Erika was a tall woman with a highly athletic, muscular build… but an extremely fatigued one. With no way to know what to expect upon reaching Tau Ceti, she decided to grab a quick catnap before returning to the bridge.

* * *

Several hours later found Erika Hernandez on the bridge in her Captain's chair, watching the stars stream by on the forward viewscreen. Many of them faded away as _Columbia _dropped to sub-light velocity and altered course slightly. They could see the large growing dot that was Tau Ceti contine to swell as the starship moved in for a closer look. Her people knew their jobs, and she paused briefly to give each of them a moment to evaluate the situation.

"Nothing on sensors yet… there's a lot of local interference for some reason." Lt. Joshua Andrews, her tactical officer, frowned as he intently studied the display screen in front of him. "There we go… I've got it… a Tellarite freighter adrift off the port bow, approximately 20,000 kilometers distant."

Andrews was a slim, broad-shouldered man with dark-hair, and his gaze drifted to the Communications station. Hernandez was also watching Lt. Henry Maxwell curiously.

"We're not receiving anything. There's been nothing since that first partial message." He shook his head negatively.

"The freighter appears undamaged, but there's no sign of any life forms or significant power output," observed Andrews. "It appears to be a derelict."

"Replay the distress signal one more time," she requested.

"Aye Captain." Ensign Maxwell quickly retrieved the recorded message, which had already been translated earlier, and routed it to the bridge speakers.

"_This is Captain Ralt commanding the Tellarite freighter _Hemmapek," stated a determined but agitated male voice. "_We need immediate assistance_…" At that point the transmission abruptly cut off, leaving only loud bursts of static crackling from the bridge speakers.

"That's it," confirmed Maxwell. "It's a simple request for help, so normally there would be doubts as to whether it's an actual distress call. Under normal circumstances we would have been obligated to forward it to the Tellarite home world and move along. This message, however, was sent using the new emergency channel that Starfleet created with the Tellarites, Andorians and Vulcans. They are also recommending it to anyone else interested in cooperating with the new Coalition."

"Well this is certainly turning into a most unusual day," Captain Hernandez decided, intently watching the image of the massive cargo ship grow steadily closer. _Columbia_ continued its intercept course, reducing its impulse drive to low power as the distance to their target location continued to decrease.

"I don't know what to say about this," Andrews replied. "It's completely unprecedented for a distress call. They _did_ use the emergency channel, but it wasn't a general distress signal of the usual kind. Rather than broadcasting it in all directions, they sent their transmission directly toward Starfleet… towards _Earth_." His eyes flickered up from his console and Hernandez turned to meet his gaze. He nodded firmly, certain of his conclusions. He had used the time en route to Tau Ceti to thoroughly analyze the recorded message.

"Are there signs of other vessels in the vicinity?"

"No," said Andrews, "we're not picking up anything but an unusual magnetic field blanketing the area. Tau Ceti has approximately ten times more dust surrounding it than our Sol system… I'll begin a scan to see if some of those particles are magnetic, or perhaps electrically charged." As he spoke, a red warning light flashed next to his left hand and he quickly surveyed new, incoming data. "I've located the _Hemmapek_'s warp core," he noted with satisfaction. "Apparently they jettisoned it during their emergency. It's floating about 3,000 kilometers behind them."

Hernandez stood up and nodded. "Conduct your survey of Tau Ceti, Lt. Andrews," she agreed. "And take good care of _Columbia_; you're in command until we get back." She pointed firmly at Henry Maxwell. "Contact Commander Strong in engineering, Mr. Maxwell, and request that he and two MACOs meet us in the shuttle bay. We're going over there."

"Aye Captain."

* * *

Aboard the _Hemmapek_, Captain Hernandez exited the NX-02's shuttle pod followed closely by Ensign Maxwell and Commander Andrew Strong. The two marines accompanying them spread out on either side, weapons held firmly at the ready. The bright lighting from the helmets of their pressure suits helped the Starfleet boarding party with a brief visual survey as they glanced cautiously around the small, dimly lit hangar bay.

There wasn't a lot of room to spare… most of the ship's space was reserved for the massive amounts of cargo it was designed to carry. There were three small shuttles tucked neatly in place alongside their own, and the five members of the boarding party gradually made their way toward the airlock on the far side of the bay. Hernandez waited patiently as Commander Strong first analyzed the ship's security systems and then efficiently unlocked the large double-doored hatchway leading into the ship's interior.

The gravitational and environmental systems inside the vessel appeared to be off-line, so everyone had no choice but to activate the magnetic clamping system on the bottom of their boots. They moved further into the Tellarite vessel carefully, one step at a time, mystified at first when there was no sign of a crew.

"Perhaps they got off the ship," Maxwell said hopefully.

"You and one MACO verify that," decided Hernandez, pointing toward the left in the corridor junction they had arrived at. "See if the escape pods are in place… we already know their shuttles are still here. After that, check the storage pods and see if their cargo was taken."

"I'll be down in engineering," Commander Strong suggested, and Hernandez nodded. She grabbed the other marine by the arm. "Go with him…" she told him. "I'm going to check out the bridge."

Strong paused for a moment, looking doubtfully at her. "Captain…" he said.

"Don't start with me Andrew," Hernandez snapped, holding up her phase pistol. "I've got a weapon like everyone else… let's get this done people."

The ship's lift systems were off-line, so the Captain carefully studied the schematics of the freighter that had been downloaded by her handheld sensing device, noting the location of the nearest ladderwell. She moved to the end of the corridor without encountering anyone and climbed slowly toward the top of the ship, pausing long enough at each deck to search for bodies or signs of trouble. The ship appeared, for all intents and purposes, to be deserted.

_Until she got to the bridge, that is._

She had to access a manual backup system in the bulkhead to physically open the hatch there, too. As she moved into the _Hemmapek_'s command center, she immediately noticed that it was filled with dead Tellarites – at least a dozen of them. Corpses floated awkwardly throughout the room, their last expressions of fear literally frozen on their faces. One of the computer stations along the far wall had exploded so violently that a small, fist-sized hole had been blown clean through the outer hull… she could see the star-filled void of space twinkling beyond. A tiny, crackling blue-white flicker of flame near the edge of the breach indicated that at least low level power was still coming from somewhere.

Closer inspection revealed that a major power conduit had passed behind the destroyed console – no doubt it had overloaded and the resulting explosion was the reason for the depressurization. Erika moved first to the helm and then to the navigation stations, but found nothing that still appeared to be functional. Her scanner revealed that there were still traces of minimal power moving through the central computer, but none of the ship's major systems appeared to be active.

"_Maxwell to Hernandez."_

"Hernandez here."

"_We found the escape pods, Captain. None of them were launched and the cargo is still here. We're on one of the lower decks where they keep the heavy equipment used to move it around; I can see all kinds of barrels and boxes stacked nearly to the ceiling through the windows in the outer doors. Whatever may have happened here, it wasn't piracy_."

"Did you find any bodies?"

"_No, but each deck appears to have at least three or more large hull breaches. It looks like power conduits in the walls overloaded and exploded, depressurizing each section_. _Anyone who was in these corridors when they blew probably ended up floating off into space._"

"The same thing happened up here on the bridge." Hernandez shook her head with dismay. "I can see an overload happening by accident in one conduit or on one deck, but the whole ship?"

"_It's a mystery to be sure Captain_."

Erika left the bridge with a silent nod of respect to the Tellarites, who had given their lives in the pursuit of space exploration. She began moving down the nearest ladderwell, back toward the hangar bay. "Hernandez to Strong… report."

There was a brief pause before he responded.

"_Engineering is a mess… there are bodies floating everywhere. I had to use my phase pistol to open the door. It looks like a small group of survivors decided to make a last stand of some kind here_." The Commander continued his visual survey of the ship's engine room. "_All computer systems appear to have been off-line when the warp core was ejected… there are a variety of locking mechanisms and manual safeties that were released, and some of the dead Tellarites are still holding the tools that were used to do the job_."

Ensign Maxwell was still listening, but a bit mystified. "_Why would they dump their warp core?_" he asked curiously. "_That would strand them here and leave them completely vulnerable to whoever attacked_."

Hernandez considered the matter carefully for a moment. "I think somebody got control of their main computer," she theorized. "The crew broke into two groups, one isolating themselves on the bridge and the other taking cover in engineering. The Captain sent the distress call, while the survivors in engineering manually ejected the warp core."

"_Why?_" Maxwell seemed truly puzzled.

"Because whoever did this was methodically blowing holes in the hull, deck by deck, and killing off the crew," pointed out Captain Hernandez, holstering her phase pistol. "So the survivors, once they discovered they were unable to shut down main power, ejected the warp core to stop whoever did this from killing them all. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that they acted quickly enough."

"_So what do we do now?_" Commander Strong's voice crackled out of the transceiver in her helmet.

"Mr. Maxwell, download their database: command functions, system, sensor and personal logs, _everything_," ordered Hernandez as she continued descending the ladderwell. "When you're done, rendezvous back at the shuttle bay. We'll return to _Columbia_ and try from there to establish exactly what happened here." She tapped her pressure suit's transceiver control with one hand and switched to a new frequency. "Hernandez to _Columbia_," she said. "Lt. Andrews, be on the lookout for any other ships that may be lurking in the vicinity… someone attacked and killed everyone aboard the _Hemmapek_."

"_Acknowledged_."

Despite the emptiness of the derelict ship, Captain Hernandez couldn't help feeling more than a little uncomfortable… her instincts were silently screaming at her that not everything around them was all that it seemed to be.

* * *

With Strong as pilot, the shuttle flight back was, for the most part, routine. A concerned look crossed the Commander's face as they approached the shuttle bay, but he checked a few settings and then returned his attention to flying.

"What?" Hernandez asked, noting his puzzled expression with interest.

"The port thruster cut out on us for a second," Strong replied. "I'll have Rivers check it over after we get back, but the board reads green now so I don't think it's anything serious."

By the time the boarding party returned to _Columbia_, Joshua Andrews had completed his scan for unknown disturbances within the dust cloud surrounding the star system. The results, he quickly informed them, had unfortunately turned up negative.

"It wasn't anything from the direction of Tau Ceti… the interference I've been fighting to break through actually seemed to be coming from the _Hemmapek_," he observed as Hernandez walked onto the bridge and seated herself in the Captain's chair. Maxwell and Strong followed close behind, the former returning to his communications console. "Whatever you did over there seems to have cleared up Comm-traffic considerably… long range sensors are coming back on-line and so are communications." He held up his hands and shook his head with bewilderment.

Commander Strong cast a puzzled glance at the tactical officer. "But _we_ didn't _do_ anything," he said, glancing first toward Maxwell and then to the Captain. "Did we?"

"Don't look at me," growled Maxwell firmly. "All I did was use my scanner to link the freighter's database to _Columbia_ and download it into my console."

Captain Hernandez watched the image of the derelict freighter curiously, her thoughts whirling as – one by one – she evaluated the possibilities. "Mr. Maxwell, dispatch a message to Starfleet," she ordered. "Provide them with an update of our current situation, sensor data, and request that they notify the Tellarites that one of their…"

Her voice was abruptly cut off by the sound of the tactical alert klaxon, followed almost immediately by a surge of power from Andrews' weapons console. One of _Columbia_'s phaser cannons spit orange fire, and the viewscreen instantly lit up with a brilliant flash of light as the _Hemmapek_'s warp core exploded in a violent burst of white fury. The shock wave from the matter/anti-matter explosion slammed heavily into the starship, sending everyone tumbling across the bridge.

Andrews was the first one back on his feet. He surveyed the weapons board frantically, his fingers tapping commands into the controls as fast as he could manage. "_I _didn't do that, Captain," he declared angrily.

Hernandez stood up and flashed him a dark glare. "Then who the hell _did_ Josh?" she demanded.

Another phaser beam sliced outward, cutting through the _Hemmapek_'s hull and cleaving it neatly into two large pieces. They spun away from each other, each trailing a cascade of cargo containers suddenly released from their storage bays. They could see by the spinning of the debris that it was caught in Tau Ceti's gravity and gradually spiraling inward toward the nearby sun.

Andrews used a few words that Hernandez had never expected to hear out of his mouth, then dropped to his knees and opened an access hatch on the bottom of his console. He reached quickly inside and tore several key power conduits loose with his bare hands. A small explosion of sparks followed the fragmented ends as he pulled them toward him, but the Lieutenant was very careful to hold each by the insulated cable trunking. The severed ends continued to spark and hiss angrily as he set them carefully onto the insulated hatch.

"The only way anyone is going to fire weapons now is by going down below and doing it manually," he said heatedly, watching Erika study his expression. "And don't ask me how they fired in the first place, because I have absolutely no idea…"

The bridge speakers flared unexpectedly to life. "_I did it_," said a strange, mechanical male voice. "_This ship is under _my_ control now_."

The unexpected voice startled the normally levelheaded Starfleet crew, and for a moment there was a brief silence.

"Oh," replied Captain Hernandez finally as she spun slightly in her seat. "And just who are _you_?"

"_I am your new Captain now_," the voice continued. "_Obey me and you will leave this region alive. Defy me and you will all die_."

Hernandez glanced at Maxwell, but all Henry could do was throw up his hands and shrug. "Subspace and local communications are being jammed," he stated simply, "cause and origin unknown."

Erika stood up calmly and walked slowly back to the tactical console. Both she and Lt. Andrews stood firmly, side by side, focusing internal sensors on the bridge. With the exception of the weapons system, everything appeared to be working normally.

"I don't know who you are or where you're from," Erika stated defiantly, "but on this ship _I_ am in command and _I_ give the orders." Her gaze moved to the helm station. "Lieutenant Boyle, plot a course away from Tau Ceti… let's get out of here."

The young, short-haired blonde woman at helm shrugged with dismay. "Controls are _not_ responding," she pointed out. "Power to my station has been completely cut off."

The ship shuddered suddenly, and a rumble from somewhere below them could be faintly heard in the background. Simultaneously the overhead lights flickered and nearly went out. Seconds later they returned to normal illumination. There was a long pause as Hernandez and Andrews continued to study the internal sensors.

"Explosion in crew quarters," noted Hernandez with growing concern, "on 'B' deck. It's a hull breach."

"_Two of your crew have just been executed_," the voice continued, speaking as calmly and emotionlessly as if it were announcing the local news. "_I overloaded a power conduit near the outer hull and depressurized their cabin. Obey me or more of your crew will die_."

"Who the hell _are_ you?" Captain Hernandez glared at the speaker next to Maxwell angrily, her expression growing darker by the second. She slammed her fist down on the edge of the console and waited impatiently for a response. The invading Vryke entity didn't keep her waiting long.

"_I came aboard with your shuttle pod_," it stated ominously. "_I have control of all command functions, including life support. You will follow my instructions or I will kill everyone on board as easily as I destroyed the crew aboard the Tellarite freighter_." The voice paused, allowing the meaning of its words to sink in. "_I have read through the data in your database and know everything there is to know about you… you cannot defeat me. This is your last warning; obey me or I will kill you all_."

Not so surprisingly, Captain Hernandez remained calm. She glanced around the bridge, searching for any type of hidden life form. Either something with stealth technology – like the Suliban – had slipped aboard, or they were dealing with some sort of shapeless new form of life. The latter theory seemed the most likely, since whoever or whatever it was had so easily accessed key command systems.

"Apparently you don't learn too quickly," said Hernandez with a sharp note of defiance in her tone. "The crew of the _Hemmapek_ gave their lives to prevent you from maintaining control of their ship… if necessary our data banks should inform you that a Starfleet crew is always prepared to do the same."

Henry Maxwell's console unexpectedly exploded in a cloud of sparks and fire and he cried out in agony, falling backwards to the deck. The acrid smell of burnt electrical insulation filled the bridge along with a cloud of white smoke. Hernandez was at his side almost instantly, noting that the Communications Officer had severe burns on his hands and face. Maxwell's face was deathly pale and she quickly put the fingertips of her right hand against the side of his neck to check for a pulse.

"_Obey me_," the strange mechanical voice repeated insistently.

The lift behind them opened and two MACOs emerged. Captain Hernandez helped Henry Maxwell to her feet and ordered one of them to help the Ensign to Sickbay. Then she turned back toward her bridge, eyes blazing.

"Let's get something straight right here and now!" she snapped fiercely. "_Every_ station you destroy has to be repaired, and _every_ crewman you kill has a unique set of skills that – out here – are irreplaceable. So unless you're willing to show yourself and fix these systems yourself, I highly recommend that you be a little more careful with them… and go a little easier on my crew while you're at it!"

"_All you have to do is follow instructions, and everything will go well for you_."

"Mister, I don't know who or what you are," Hernandez stated honestly, "but it will be a cold day in _hell_ before I take orders from _you_."


	3. Doctor, Doctor

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter II: Doctor, Doctor**

* * *

Alpha Quadrant, Jupiter Station, Stardate 54941.8:

* * *

Dr. Lewis Zimmerman set his cup of coffee down as he regarded Lt. Reginald Barclay thoughtfully. "You know Reg, it's just not the same here without you… I really think that you should come back to Jupiter Station for a working vacation." He chuckled with mild amusement as he watched Barclay's reaction on the communications screen in front of him. "Consider it a recommendation from your family Doctor." 

The Lieutenant smiled, looking a bit nervous as always. "_It's nice of you to say that… Doctor, but I really have been busy back here on Earth… at Starfleet. We've been pulling double duty lately, making certain that your team gets what it needs and also staying in contact with _Voyager."

Zimmerman leaned back in his chair, casting a quick look around the modified holodeck that served as his laboratory. To most the place looked to be in complete disarray, but to Zimmerman it was simply a matter of having everything that he wanted out where he could get at it. 'Organized' was not exactly a word he would use to describe his thought process… it was his creations that he wanted to be efficiently organized. The final result – the successful completion of his work – would always be more important to him than keeping things around him neat and orderly.

"And we couldn't have achieved what we have without that capability," Zimmerman nodded agreeably. "I'm delighted to hear that your trans-galactic communications system continues to work so reliably. Even if it is just 11 minutes a day – our being able to coordinate with _Voyager_'s crew has made everything we've been working to accomplish here possible. Congratulations, and welcome to the genius club... there's always room for one more."

Lt. Barclay stumbled over his next few words at the unexpected praise, his cheeks turning bright red. Dr. Zimmerman always talked confidently, so much so that many who first met him actually considered him arrogant. To be fair, the Doctor had accomplished a great deal in the field of holographic technology, but it was Barclay who had spearheaded 'the Pathfinder Project'. When others had hesitated, it was the determined, sympathetic Lieutenant who had persisted in trying to use Starfleet's space-based Midas Array to communicate with the very distant _Voyager_.

Although Captain Kathryn Janeway and her crew were still trapped aboard their starship some 30,000 light years across the galaxy in the Delta Quadrant, she and her crew considered Reg Barclay a friend and member of their _Voyager_ 'family'. The Captain could light a fire under the troops as often as she wanted, but having a glimpse of home to look forward to each day had turned out to be the best motivator of all. Janeway would always be extremely grateful to him for that most precious gift... a few minutes of personal time each and every day for at least some of her crew.

Not knowing what to say, Barclay paused for a moment, wondering how best to deal with the Doctor's latest attack of ego. As usual, he overcame his shyness by focusing intently on his work. The console in front of him beeped and he smiled as he confirmed the readings from the Midas Array. "_Contact with _Voyager_ in fifteen seconds_," he said briskly. "_I hope your team on Jupiter Station is ready_."

Dr. Zimmerman turned toward the android seated next to him. "Lt. Barclay wants to know if we're ready. _Are_ we?"

Commander Data, temporarily on leave from the _Enterprise_, nodded. "Confirmed," he replied. "We are ready to proceed."

Barclay nodded and his image disappeared from the monitor… replaced for just an instant by the United Federation of Planets logo. Seconds later a fuzzy background appeared, steadying quickly into the familiar picture of _Voyager_'s astrometrics lab. Harry Kim was standing in the foreground, and behind him they could also see the tall, statuesque figure of the blonde Seven of Nine. Seven was standing next to _Voyager_'s holographic Doctor.

"_Hellooooo Alpha Quadrant_," said Harry Kim enthusiastically.

"Greetings," Data responded affably, accepting the data pad that Zimmerman handed him. He reviewed the list of items on it with one quick glance and then looked back at Ensign Kim on the monitor. "Dr. Zimmerman and I are extremely curious… were you successful?"

Kim smiled and nodded in reply. "_Very much so. We've made great progress since yesterday's meeting… I'm actually beginning to think the rest of the crew is going to forgive us for using up three weeks of communication time on this project_…" He pointed to a container behind him that was setting next to Seven and the Doctor. "_We had to do some serious fine-tuning to our larger replicators, but we've created precisely 24.6 kilos of non-conductive tripolymer composites_._ Everything else we need has already been replicated… all we have to do is combine everything and process it through the final pattern enhancer and we should be able to produce a complete, functional prototype._"

"Excellent," said Data casually. "Then you are ready to proceed."

_Voyager_'s Doctor shook his head back and forth in disagreement. He stepped up beside Ensign Kim and studied his viewpoint of Dr. Zimmerman and Data as transmitted live to the Delta Quadrant. "_I understand what you are trying to do for us_," he said, "_and for _Voyager_. But what you're proposing we try quite simply isn't that easy to achieve. I hope my father Creator hasn't given you false hope._"

Data remained unflappable. "Do not forget, we can continue conducting this experiment repeatedly until we are successful," he pointed out. "I am the key figure involved in the research behind this project, and Starfleet has granted me both the authority and time needed to assist Dr. Zimmerman. I believe we have a high probability of success."

"Don't be stubborn, Doctor," growled Zimmerman with a dark scowl. "You have _twice_ risked the integrity of your holographic matrix to journey to the Alpha Quadrant and assist Starfleet. If we can return the favor and add an irreplaceable, new crew member to _Voyager_… well, I don't see why you won't at least let us _try_."

The Doctor held up a hand as he continued to argue his point. "_Commander Data is a unique, sentient individual… an android with a positronic matrix that is as close to a human brain as I have ever seen. I've studied the data that you've sent us Dr. Zimmerman. Your skills with holography and Commander Data's technological expertise are quite simply not enough to imitate the techniques of Dr. Noonian Soong. Just like a humanoid brain is constantly changing as it stores and retrieves memories, Data's positronic matrix also continually evolves as it experiences and adapts to the changing conditions of the environment around him_."

Zimmerman stared at the holographic, younger version of himself that was being transmitted via the uplink from Reginald Barclay at Starfleet headquarters on Earth. "You saved my life when I was ill, why can't you let me do something… _anything_ in return that will help you and your crew?" he asked with growing irritation. "You're a Mark I EMH with all of my stubbornness intact… why can't you move _past_ that just this one time?"

The Doctor threw up his hands and glared at Zimmerman, then Ensign Kim still standing in front of him, and finally back at the screen. Behind him Seven raised an eyebrow. "_What harm can there be in trying Doctor?_" she asked. "_I have known you for quite some time now, and the word _can't_ usually isn't part of your vocabulary_."

"_Our first attempts at sustaining a positronic matrix collapsed within minutes_," the Doctor pointed out rather bluntly, sounding a bit defensive. "_My tests show that the neural net breakdowns were similar to human apoplexy… many of the positronic pathways simply overloaded. My educated guess at this time is that the replication process simply wasn't precise enough_._ Commander Data's neural net is not just a piece of food or furniture that we can create on a whim… it's a very sophisticated achievement in computer hardware design._"

"_If at first you don't succeed_…" said Kim in reply as he gave the Doctor an optimistic smile.

Commander Data had been sitting quietly, listening patiently to the back and forth banter. "You Doctor, are a specialist in human anatomy. What part of our process do you feel we need to focus more attention on?"

The Doctor paused, and the frustrated expression on his face vanished for a moment as he considered the implications of the question. "_From what I've observed in our efforts so far, we've got everything nailed down on the technical side_," he observed. "_However, if you truly want us to be able to replicate a duplicate Data capable of functioning effectively enough to serve aboard _Voyager_, we also need to avoid overlooking the biological properties that the original mirrors. Dr. Soong was very thorough in his design… he used biology to model his androids after his own biological distinctiveness._"

Dr. Zimmerman shook his head with mock disgust. "You have so little faith in us," he said sharply. "We _haven't_ overlooked the biological side… after the initial attempts failed two weeks ago we brought in another expert… one who has a great deal of experience with android technology."

"_Oh?_" The Doctor perked up noticeably at the news. "_What's wrong? Wasn't _I_ a good enough consultant on this matter?_"

"Of course you are, but Starfleet does have other Doctors who have just as much real world experience as you." Zimmerman tapped the Comm-link next to the monitor. "Haley, would you escort the Admiral in please?"

"_Certainly, Doctor."_

The door behind Zimmerman opened and a beautiful young blonde woman came in, escorting a thin, elderly man. He was dressed in an Admiral's uniform and carried a large portable piece of sophisticated computer equipment with him.

_Voyager_'s Doctor almost didn't recognize him… at first. Then he took a closer look at the Starfleet Admiral and his eyes lit up with recognition. "_Admiral Leonard McCoy_," he said. "_I am truly honored to meet you, even if it is by long distance transmission. I've studied your work from the _Enterprise_ missions for many years… most of your discoveries, publications and breakthroughs are a part of my database_."

Zimmerman glanced back at McCoy with an annoyed frown. "My EMH counterpart in the Delta Quadrant is convinced that we will fail again; he is being a _true_ pain in the backside."

"Well then… shut him off!" Admiral McCoy snapped sharply.

On screen, the Doctor's expression grew frightened. "I beg your pardon," he said briskly.

"Otherwise, let's quit sitting around arguing about the issue and get _started_. I'm not getting any younger, for crying out loud, and I want to see this project succeed as much as anyone." He glanced quickly at the chronometer next to Zimmerman's Comm-link. "It looks as though you people have already wasted a lot of today's precious time with a bunch of silly arguing."

"_We're ready when you are Admiral_," said Seven of Nine. "_Dr. Zimmerman, please use the same encrypted transmission protocols as yesterday_."

"Acknowledged."

McCoy set the briefcase-sized data storage unit he was carrying on the console next to Dr. Zimmerman. Commander Data stood up and helped him connect an optronic cable into the nearby sub-space transmitter. Together they double-checked its output and verified that the connection was properly made.

"Our transmission to you begins now," reported Data.

Admiral McCoy activated his data storage unit and smiled. "Transmitting," he said with a wide smile of satisfaction.

Data nodded to Ensign Kim and Seven of Nine. "You are currently receiving a comprehensive, compressed copy of my software – accurate and up-to-date as of thirty minutes ago," the android told them. "Once you finish replicating my physical body and configuring its hardware, upload of the software should be the only remaining step for you to complete. If that procedure is successful, the duplicate of me that you create will be missing only a half hour of my memories."

Seven monitored the transmission progress carefully. "_We are receiving_," she confirmed. "_Ten percent downloaded… twelve… seventeen…_"

The Doctor snorted. "_If our duplicate android doesn't have a positronic matrix that precisely matches yours as of thirty minutes ago, our version will simply collapse again." _He sighed with frustration. _"How many test heads have we tried this with already… nine… ten? I'm afraid I've lost count._"

Admiral McCoy chuckled as he studied the Doctor on the monitor. "I keep hearing what an excellent Doctor you are… for a hologram," he said with obvious amusement. "So now would be the time for you to earn your keep, photon boy. We're including a _complete_, three dimensional design schematic of Commander Data's neural net… it was recorded _after_ he was deactivated and _before_ his software was downloaded and compressed. His positronic pathways have been mapped more precisely than ever before."

Dr. Zimmerman watched Admiral McCoy and his brusque attitude with a mix of admiration and astonishment before turning back to the monitor. "Pay attention to the Admiral," he recommended. "Get some of those nano-probes from your female Borg friend there, modify them and then apply them to your newest positronic matrix. This schematic we're sending is unbelievably accurate, down to the sub-molecular level."

Seven continued to monitor the data transmission in her usual, precise manner. "_Thirty four percent… thirty seven…_"

"Once the nano-probes finish defining my positronic pathways in your prototype - exactly as they were a half hour ago here in the Alpha Quadrant – you should be able to upload the decompressed software and simply turn him on. It is our best attempt yet and it will either work or it will fail. I maintain high hopes that our efforts will be successful."

Ensign Kim grew suddenly curious. "_If we do have our own Commander Data working here on _Voyager_, will he still hold the same rank?_"

Data was silent as he thought about the question. "That will be an issue for Captain Janeway to decide," he suggested. "She is in charge of _Voyager_, after all. I expect that I will serve wherever I am needed most… on whatever tasks she assigns to me."

"_I have another thought_," decided the Doctor. "_If we divert enough replicator energy to this effort, will we be able to create our own _army_ of androids?_"

"_We will be assimilated_," said Kim with an amused laugh.

Seven's dirty look quieted him down. She verified several statistics as the transmission ended, then confirmed reception of the entire compressed data file. The three _Voyager_ crew members waved good bye to Dr. Zimmerman, Data, and Admiral McCoy, and Zimmerman switched them back to Reg Barclay's channel at Starfleet. The last few minutes of the remaining communications time with the Delta Quadrant was scheduled for use by some of the _Voyager_ crew to transmit personal messages and interact with family members.

Once "the Data Project" reached completion and all eleven minutes were again available on a daily basis, they would return to the lottery system that was in use. It had worked well to make certain that everyone got at least a few minutes of one-on-one time with friends and family members. Rarely was the entire eleven minutes completely available even without the Jupiter Station portion of the communication, since Captain Janeway still had to interact with Starfleet Command and keep them updated on _Voyager_'s progress.

Their first communications with Starfleet using the Midas Array had been once every thirty-two days. Next the technology had been fine-tuned to relay real time communications back and forth for eleven minutes per day. Currently, the _Voyager_ crew was working hard with Starfleet personnel in the hopes of opening up a sophisticated, multi-channel sub-space transceiver array capable of relaying dozens of messages simultaneously. The fact that they had just held a video conference with Jupiter station while data files were uploaded to them was proof that the communications process between Earth and the Delta Quadrant continued to improve.

"I must use your sub-space transmitter for a few minutes," said Data to Zimmerman. "Commander Bruce Maddux at Starfleet is also keeping track of our progress on this matter, and I am sending him regular updates. At times, he has sent me ideas and suggestions that have been very helpful."

"While you work, Haley can fix the Admiral and me something to eat," Zimmerman suggested, gently touching McCoy's arm and helping the elderly man to his feet.

McCoy glanced at the Doctor's cute holographic assistant. "Young lady, do you know how to make a mint julep by any chance?"

Zimmerman laughed despite his usual crabbiness, touching the graying hair above his right ear. It was probably best that the Admiral's stay was planned to be a temporary one, because he and McCoy were just a little bit too much alike. "I used to tell everyone that I created most of my friends," he commented, smiling nostalgically at the holographic Haley. "It is my great privilege to discover that times have changed, now that I've met you and Commander Data."

"Not if you don't have any mint juleps, it hasn't." McCoy said with a serious, deadpan stare. A moment later he began laughing merrily and slapped Dr. Zimmerman on the back.

Zimmerman found himself laughing too. Now if the _Voyager_ crew could succeed in activating a duplicate of Commander Data, things were bound to get even more interesting… especially in the Delta Quadrant.

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54942.2:

* * *

The Doctor glanced over the replicated duplicate of Commander Data that they had constructed earlier. The motionless android body lay idle on the central Sickbay bed, and he studied the medical monitors curiously. They were currently set to analyze the progress of the nano-probes that he had released into the android's neural net. 

With luck as the final ingredient to their hard work, he was sincerely hoping that his colleagues were correct and they would soon have a new _Voyager_ crew member. An android with Data's memories and capabilities would be a valuable asset for them to have around while stranded in the Delta Quadrant. But first they had to make sure that their replica matched the _precise_ standards necessary for the positronic matrix to remain stable.

He studied the progress of the nano-probes and compared the latest scans of their version of Data's neural net with the most recent map of the original. The differences were already remote and becoming even more so. As the nano-probes continued to work, they used an uplink to the computer map as a reference. Hurriedly they moved about inside the duplicate Data's head, working steadily as they deleted a bit of matter here and created a positronic pathway there.

After Kim and Seven had reported to Captain Janeway the day before, she had given the final go ahead to replicate the entire body of the android. Ironically it had been the Doctor who had spoken of it being "creepy" working all the time with just a head… B'Elanna Torres, Kim, and Seven had all said nothing and simply proceeded as though this type of project was an everyday occurrence. They were close enough in their efforts that the probability of success – according to the _real_ Commander Data – was now above fifty percent. However, if their latest creation failed to stabilize upon activation, the Doctor had absolutely no idea what they would try next.

_Commander Data was quite simply just that unique._

The Doctor's holographic image suddenly flickered and almost vanished. He glanced up in surprise, for the ship's main computer had given him no warning that anything was amiss with his program. He began to walk over to the nearest access console to check on it when he stopped abruptly, watching his right hand vanish and then reappear several times.

"Oh no," he said, glancing across the room where his mobile emitter lay on the counter top. An instant later he vanished completely.

An instant later there was a brilliant, white flash of light and two people appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The first was a handsome, middle-aged man with dark hair. Both he and the teen-aged boy, also dark-haired, wore Starfleet Captain's uniforms. They walked over to the motionless replica of Commander Data curiously and began to visually inspect it.

"You didn't delete their Doctor _entirely_, did you Dad?" asked the young man.

"Of course not," replied the older. "I just needed him off-line for a few minutes while we stopped by to check on your Aunt Kathy and her valiant crew."

The young man looked puzzled. "Why?" he asked. "I fail to understand your ongoing fascination with these Starfleet people. They're boring… yesterday's news."

The elder 'Q' looked at his son with a mix of admiration and amusement. "You're far too young to understand yet, son. Suffice it to say that the universe requires _balance_ in order to function, and this Starfleet Command of theirs has really made a difference with this galaxy. I'm afraid to admit it to anyone but you, but I sorely underestimated them the first time I ran into them." He ruffled his son's hair with one hand and smiled. "They also helped _you_, whether you're willing to admit it or not."

The boy shrugged. "So?"

Again 'Q' laughed. "Not too long ago I brought you here and left you aboard _Voyager_ so that Captain Janeway and her crew could teach you a thing or two about discipline and self control. You might have thought me an overbearing father at the time, but I promise you that you'll thank me in a century or two." He held up a finger for emphasis and pointed it directly at the motionless replica of Commander Data. "This duplicate of the android from the Alpha Quadrant is an integral part of things that are about to happen here on the other side of the galaxy. Just use your ability to look into the future a week or two and you'll see what I mean."

The boy paused, tapping into some unseen force that only he and the other 'Q' could access. "Okay," he said finally. "I can see the pivotal role that this android might play here, but it will never function. Their replication process is remarkably imprecise… they have continually refined their attempts to duplicate the original Data's neural net and this latest creation is still flawed. I'm afraid they're out of luck… this ship's replicators aren't advanced enough for this to work.."

'Q' nodded. "Bravo my boy!" he agreed. "These humans have a nasty habit of making jokes about their replication process – especially when it comes to food items. The truth of the matter is… most of the time a steak is just a steak even if it is sub-atomically imperfect. Their taste buds are simply too unsophisticated to notice any difference, even though their criticism is actually more accurate than they would care to admit."

The younger 'Q' shook his head as he looked deeply into the prototype's developing neural net. "The nano-probes are making good progress, but the end product will still be flawed. I could do better with a snap of my fingers."

"Then, my son, please do so."

"Why?" the young man asked. "Why are we doing this Dad?"

The elder 'Q' sighed heavily and put an arm around his son's shoulder. "The last time I stopped by _Voyager_ and picked you up, I left Captain Janeway a 'thank you' for assisting me in teaching you about interaction with other life forms. Primarily I used her to help you learn to interact with the lesser, more primitive species… although I didn't tell _her_ that." He smiled at the memory. "Your Aunt Kathy is a remarkable woman… for a human," he observed with a glowing smile. "She's the only female ever to reject my romantic advances and survive to tell about it. Now then, where was I?"

"You gave Aunt Kathy a 'thank you' of some sort?"

"Technically she's only your godmother, but yes, absolutely." 'Q' nodded in agreement. "I gave her a pad containing a set of coordinates to aim for when _Voyager_ reached a certain Stardate, and along with that data I included a promise that it would shave some time off their journey home. Not a lot of time, mind you, because I wanted to set an example for you by helping her _without_ doing her homework for her. She and her crew are quite capable of taking care of themselves."

"Okay. So they've reached those coordinates now…"

"Yes my boy. They have. And there were at least several hundred different things that could have happened before they arrived here. The decision to work with Starfleet and attempt to create a Commander Data for _Voyager_ was one of those contingencies… since they have chosen that path I must now adjust my 'help' just a little bit to make sure they don't fall on their faces and embarrass the entire Alpha Quadrant." He leaned over and his voice dropped to a whisper. "This replication of theirs is imperfect and will not work because they cannot see deeper than the sub-molecular level yet… their technology – though impressive – still has its limitations."

"So you're going to help them?"

"No," 'Q' replied firmly. "_You_ are… this is your next assignment." He looked his son confidently in the eyes. "I want you to examine this replica and identify its discrepancies. Then, make use of your abilities and correct it so that _Voyager_ gets its new crew member."

The younger 'Q' studied the android lying on the Sickbay bed carefully for a moment and then snapped his fingers. A white flash surrounded the copy of Commander Data and then vanished. For all intents and purposes no physical changes at all was obvious, but 'Q' was still quite pleased with his son's work.

"Excellent," he said. "You reprogrammed the nano-probes to think that they had completed their work, and then adjusted the neural net yourself. _Perfect_ son! I think this ship's crew will find things working much better for them later this morning when they upload the software and activate this fine looking android. _Congratulations!_"

"Thanks," said the boy. "I still don't know why you're helping them, or why you care so much about these people."

'Q' grinned at his son. "Now you also have lent a hand in saying 'thank you' to your Aunt Kathy." He stood there silently, for a moment, deep in thought. "But I need to make one minor change," he mused, "since we don't want them thinking they can recreate this experiment any time they wish to." He pointed the forefinger of his right hand at Data's skull, and – even though nothing visible appeared to change – something did. "There," he decided finally. "Now we're all ready to go!"

"Good," said the young 'Q' defiantly, "because I _wasn't_ kidding Dad. These people are _boring _beyond words."

'Q' laughed. "Really?" he said with a grin. "If you truly want to understand why I care about them so much, I'll take you along on my next visit to torment Jean-Luc."

The two of them vanished in another bright flash of brilliant white light. Shortly thereafter the Doctor's program came back on-line and he reappeared. He double-checked the progress of the nano-probes carefully and noted that all of them had finished their work and were slowly beginning to shut down. Once they were all inert they could be purged from Data's system.

"Now all we have to do is upload Data's software and we'll see if things work better this time," he commented softly to himself.

* * *

Later that morning, Captain Janeway met Commander Chakotay outside of Sickbay. "I was just about to go in," he declared, opening the door and waving a hand toward it. "After you, Captain." 

"Thanks," said Janeway. "I'm hoping we have some positive results this time. Otherwise I abandoned a perfectly good cup of coffee for nothing."

Both of them chuckled and entered Sickbay, not so surprised at seeing a large group of people gathered there. B'Elanna Torres, Seven of Nine, Harry Kim and the Doctor were all gathered in a group around the bio-bed upon which their Commander Data prototype rested.

"Well, how about a progress report?" Janeway looked expectantly at the various faces of her command staff, noting that they appeared very optimistic.

The Doctor was mystified. "We have achieved more than I thought we could Captain. There are still some inconsistencies with the design schematic that Admiral McCoy provided us with. They are very minor – almost undetectable by the computer, in fact – but the small size of the nano-probes limits their ability to correct the discrepancies."

"Can we construct larger ones, or use other equipment to further refine the positronic matrix?" asked Chakotay with interest.

Kim shook his head. "Doubtful. If we did, we would risk re-introducing some of the same defects that were corrected by the nano-probes. With any luck, the differences should be negligible."

"Those differences could make or break this project," pointed out the Doctor.

"This version is _much_ better than we had anticipated," said a pleased Harry Kim.

Janeway couldn't contain her enthusiasm. "Will it work?"

Kim shrugged. "There's only one way to find out," he decided, reaching down to Commander Data's waist. "We've completed the software upload." His fingers found an unseen button there, concealed beneath the Starfleet uniform that the prototype wore. The android stiffened as Kim activated it, then sat up abruptly and glanced curiously around the room.

"I am on _Voyager_," stated Data with obvious satisfaction. "Greetings!"

"Welcome to the Delta Quadrant," said Captain Janeway warmly.

Data turned his head and studied her curiously. "Permission to come aboard Captain?"

Janeway grinned back at him. "Permission granted Commander."


	4. Malevolence

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter III: Malevolence**

* * *

Alpha Quadrant, Tau Ceti Star System, February 23, 2156:

* * *

Erika Hernandez's refusal to take orders from the strange entity invading her ship didn't go unnoticed. It wasn't long before her actions provoked a response. The lights around them dimmed and virtually every console on the bridge abruptly went dark. _Columbia_'s emergency backup generators brought critical, primary systems almost immediately back on line… all of them except one. 

"Life support is down," reported Lt. Andrews from tactical. "All decks, Captain."

Hernandez wasted no more time trying to negotiate. She sprinted quickly to her command seat and the control panel next to it, activating the ship's all-call. "_This is the Captain speaking_," she said, her voice crackling briskly from speakers on every deck. "_All hands go to immediate tactical alert. Equip yourselves with phase pistols and communicators; assume everything you say and do is being monitored. We have an intruder aboard that seems to have no physical body, and its capabilities remain mostly unknown to us. Everyone fall back to 'D' deck… after which the bridge crew will reassemble and construct a temporary, auxiliary command station in the catwalk of the starboard nacelle. Everyone else… find a comfortable spot to hole up and stay safe_."

She moved next to Maxwell's blackened, still smoking Communications console and verified that its control systems were completely off-line.

Commander Strong glanced at the Captain with curious interest. "The catwalk on the starboard nacelle? We'd fry in there as long as our engines are running."

Hernandez shrugged and her voice dropped to a whisper. "I did say to assume that everything we do is being monitored." She nodded with confidence. "Let it guess what we're up to. Most of our vital hardware is on 'D' deck, and the alien creature will obviously go after our warp core just like it did aboard the _Hemmapek_. I don't think it's any accident that a large group of the Tellarites ended up in their engine room."

Lt. Benjamin Matthews spun in his chair. "The creature has accessed helm control systems... specifically our navigation charts," he said heatedly, taking the intrusion on his personal turf somewhat personally. "It's using the system internally… bypassing the console controls and trying to set a course away from here. I'm totally locked out."

"Lt. Andrews, begin with Mr. Matthews station," Hernandez ordered. "Make the bridge completely useless to it."

Joshua pulled out his phase pistol and raised the setting to maximum. He proceeded first to navigation, then to tactical, next to communications, engineering, and finally science. At each console he opened the access panels beneath the control systems and used his phaser to sever the power supply to the hardware.

Lt. Sheila Wakefield stood near the Science station, using her handheld, portable scanner. "Can't it blow out power conduits on the bridge and kill us too?" she asked, wondering why the entity was simply sitting idle and letting him disable the bridge.

"It could if I was working near anything vital," said Andrews as he leaned inside the access hatch beneath her sensor controls. His phaser fired several times in brief spurts of orange fire… just enough to cut key power supplies. "The bridge controls are linked to engineering and the rest of the ship by a simple network that also supplies them with electricity. But…" he paused, remembering the NX-02's layout. "… the really heavy duty power relays from engineering are routed to where they're most needed – the outer hull, the nacelles, the phaser cannons..." He pointed at her console. "The bridge control systems and lights don't need warp power, just enough electricity to keep them running. Polarizing the hull plating, firing phasers, or using warp speed, on the other hand, takes a _lot_ more juice."

"Still, if it wants us dead…"

"Then right now, it would have to kill everyone on the bridge," argued Andrews as he continued to disable the bridge stations. "It's obviously not prepared to do that yet."

"It's probably thinking about what I said," Hernandez guessed. "The more of us it kills, the less of us there are to fix things and carry out its orders. From its actions so far, I seriously doubt it plans to make Tau Ceti its home."

"No doubt it's observing us," mused Commander Strong. "It doesn't want to make the same mistake that it did with the Tellarites…

While the Commander spoke, Joshua Andrews suddenly stiffened as a soft green glow surrounded his body. He collapsed to his knees and his phase pistol fell from his grasp and clattered to the deck. As it did so a barely audible whine sounded from it, gradually building in intensity.

"It's trying to… attack me," Andrews gasped, taking a huge deep breath and then forcing himself to stand. "Interfering… with my… brain activity and nervous system…"

The glow around Andrews faded, but the electronic whine continued to grow louder. Strong leaped to Andrews' side and picked up the phase pistol, quickly snapping it open and removing its energy cartridge. "The overload setting was activated," he sighed, pocketing the power supply and hooking the now powerless weapon to his belt. "This entity – whatever it is – obviously likes to blow things up."

Hernandez tried the lift doors and found that they wouldn't open. She pulled the cover off the manual access controls in the wall next to the door and yanked out the conductive wires. The tiny, almost nonexistent electrical charge holding the doors closed failed and they slid open. The Captain glanced briefly down the lift tube, noting that the lift chamber itself was paused somewhere between 'D' and 'E' deck. She nodded and moved back to Andrews' tactical station and the one remaining console that had not yet been powered down.

"I'm restricting all further command functions to manual keyboard access only," she told them. "Life support is back on-line and will stay that way unless this _thing_ invading our ship can find another way to turn it off again."

The Captain's next move was to shut down _Columbia_'s main computer and then reach down and manually tear away the power lines running to the console. Again all of the bridge lighting went dark… only a few emergency lights winked back on to provide minimal illumination.

Sheila Wakefield – _Columbia_'s Science Officer - grew concerned. "Our main computer links all key systems together and normally accepts input directly from the bridge," she pointed out. "But powering them off isn't enough… the engines, navigation, weapons… they can still be accessed wirelessly, one at a time if need be. Those systems are deliberately designed to function independently of each other in case our main computer is damaged and isn't available to coordinate shipboard functions."

"Not any longer they're not," said Hernandez confidently. "_All _commands to _each _system must now be manually keyed directly into an access terminal by a member of this crew and preceded by our prefix code. So even if the creature knows the code, it is _still_ locked out of wireless access unless it can physically push controls on one of our consoles or force one of us to do it. And… if it could control people…" she glanced toward her tactical officer with a smile, "…it wouldn't have contented itself with simply disorienting Lt. Andrews long enough to overload his phase pistol. Instead, it would have used him to carry out its orders."

Commander Strong was still half holding Andrews by the arm but the tactical officer nodded that he was okay and smiled gratefully. "I'm okay now," he said. "All the creature managed to do was make me dizzy for a minute or so."

Hernandez glanced down the turbolift shaft again, verifying that everything was dark. "Follow me," she ordered as she entered the tube and swung her legs onto the top rung of the ladderwell leading down. "We may have to open the hatch on the top of the lift to get through to the deck below, but all systems are powered off and I don't think it's going to start up unexpectedly on us. So let's rendezvous with the rest of the crew on 'D' deck."

"We're with you Captain," said Strong, moving over to assist the rest of the bridge crew with the planned evacuation.

Hernandez dropped her voice to a whisper. "When we reach 'D' deck, go directly to Engineering Commander," she told him. "Route all primary ship functions there… have your crew set up portable terminals, and we'll make a stand there and get control of our ship back."

He nodded and they quickly began moving, one by one, down the ladder toward the lower decks.

* * *

_The Vryke was furious… nothing it was trying worked. Apparently the lower biological based organisms that now inhabited the Alpha Quadrant were just as stubborn and aggressive as those that had inhabited it 300 million years earlier. As it watched system after system on the _Columbia_ bridge go dark, its determination to succeed this time was equaled only by its boiling rage._

_Like the other vessels it had encountered, most of this ship's command crew was stationed on the bridge – which was precisely why it had focused most of its attacks there so far. The few, major power conduits that it had risked rupturing had failed to electrify the insulated deck plating, and its ability to control the biologically based humans using other measures was severely limited as well. But there had to be some way, something that it could use…_

_It had regained its freedom, but so far that was all the Vryke had. Although it had used the wormhole to dig back through time and free itself from the Questar gravity well, it was still somewhat of a prisoner. Its ability to move about the galaxy had been restored, but at sub-light speeds only. In order to really travel a reasonable distance – particularly spanning the vast distance between stars – the Vryke required a starship. It _needed_ an interstellar vessel equipped with a functional warp drive along with an obedient crew to pilot it._

_This particular starship was much more primitive than the _Enterprise_ had been. Its main computer was quite limited in ability – certainly not the heart and soul of vessel operations as Kirk's had been. In just a few short minutes the bridge crew had completely blocked access to the resources that the Vryke so desperately needed in order to renew its journey between worlds._

_Despite the difficulties so far, it hardly considered itself beaten. The Vryke had planned out many possible options during the three hundred thousand millennia it had been a captive, so it had a pretty good idea as to its next move. Quickly following _Columbia_'s major power conduits back toward engineering and the ship's warp core, it moved the essence of its being down into the steady power source being generated at the heart of the starship. To truly control the crew of the vessel, the Vryke needed to expand its essence – to grow from the organic equivalent of a one-celled organism into a massive creature capable of manipulating both the physical as well as the electrical world surrounding it._

_Thus it settled itself gently around the pulsing energy output from _Columbia_'s warp core and initiated its reproductive process. Slowly at first and then more confidently, it began absorbing the power needed to duplicate by mitosis. Soon there would be two of it, and then four, and then eight… As long as it had a powerful source of energy to draw upon its ability to proliferate was virtually unlimited. The new 'cells' that were created as part of its expanding body would mutate as they grew; adding new capabilities that the original, centralized 'brain' could draw upon and make us of in furthering its plans for conquest._

_The crew of the _Columbia_ only suspected that they were in great danger… the Vryke already knew what it was capable of, and it was utterly determined to dominate or destroy._

* * *

Main engineering aboard _Columbia_ was very quickly bustling with major activity. Large, collapsible tables were hastily set up around both sides of the horizontal length of the engine. Atop these the crew activated portable computer systems that were used to tap into the bridge command functions, rerouting them to their new, temporary auxiliary control. Captain Hernandez supervised the process of setting up the backup bridge after giving Commander Strong orders to power down the warp core and place its control systems on secured standby. 

The soft green glow surrounding the metallic shell around the warp core was a distinct warning sign that they were running out of time. The invading entity was busy doing something, and whatever it had chosen as its next move would not likely be good for her crew.

Dozens of blue-uniformed Starfleet crew moved back and forth, attending to their duties. Everyone comprising the eighty-plus personnel complement had reassembled on 'D' Deck. Those who weren't assisting with the creation of a temporary bridge in engineering were currently holed up in crew quarters or assisting Doctor Karyn Petroyko in hauling up portable medical equipment from Sickbay. Captain Hernandez was busy checking over the rerouted communications control system when the ship's chef tapped her on the shoulder.

"Why did you move the bridge crew down here?" the galley chief asked curiously, fidgeting a bit nervously as always. "If the entity can attack you up there, it can certainly do so down here as well." He was a young, good looking intelligent man and an excellent cook; but just this once Hernandez was glad he wasn't making tactical command decisions.

"That's a great question," the Captain replied briskly. "While aboard the Tellarite vessel, I witnessed firsthand what this creature can do. It blew a hole in the hull of the _Hemmapek_'s bridge and killed everyone inside, venting all their atmosphere into space with one simple act of sabotage. So I'm changing tactics and regrouping down here in order to make sure that we're close to the heart of our ship… its engine. If the entity could go anywhere faster without needing our warp drive, it wouldn't have stayed trapped aboard the freighter after killing off its crew."

As she spoke, a sudden series of flares exploded along both sides of the warp engine mount, spraying sparks and bits of glowing debris all over the crew. White smoke poured out of the angry, burning remnants of the fires and the large, two-level chamber surrounding them filled rapidly with the odor of burnt electrical insulation. Strong ignored the intimidation tactics, and a few seconds later the intermix reaction within the warp chamber slowed to a crawl,and its power output dropped considerably.

"What was that?" asked the chef.

"The entity seems to be angry now that we're denying it the prize it seeks," pointed out Hernandez brusquely.

"It overloaded and blew out the cascade safeties," pointed out Strong. "The ones designed to contain a core breach. It's trying everything, short of destroying us completely, to force us to comply with its demands. The more we fight back, the more it tries to find ways to slow our progress."

"Has anybody figured out what _it_ is yet?" asked the Captain angrily.

"I'm starting to get a pretty good idea," said Lt. Wakefield from behind her. Erika turned at the voice and stepped up next to her Science Officer.

"What have you got?" she asked intently.

"We know it has no physical body to speak of, so I've been analyzing the entire electromagnetic spectrum," Wakefield pointed out. She switched the monitor's display in front of her to an image looking out behind the starship's saucer section. It was an aft view showing the rear half of both warp nacelles, along with various sized pieces of metal debris clinging to their surface. From all sides surrounding them more pieces of metallic debris continued to float gently toward their vessel.

"Is that debris from the _Hemmapek_ sticking to the hull…?" Hernandez guessed.

Wakefield nodded. "Yes it is. Since that thing came aboard, our hull has picked up a distinct, very powerful magnetic signature. It was fluctuating unsteadily at first, but has continued to grow rapidly stronger. I think the creature absorbs part or all of the energy around it – it collects starlight, radiation… probably absorbs a little bit of everything." She shrugged her shoulders. "So it's good that you had Commander Strong shut down the warp engines, because I'm certain that it can consume at least some of our own energy output as well."

Lt. Andrews joined them, having completed his own sensor scans. "I think it's also the source of the local electromagnetic interference that's blocking our communications. The dampening field around this region of space has grown considerably wider since we first arrived… and the exact center is _Columbia_."

Hernandez sighed. "Starfleet? Can we get a message of some kind out?"

Andrews shook his head. "Unless we leave this thing behind and get far enough away from it, I don't see how we can send anything to them that they would even be able to recognize as a distress call." His frown signaled just a small part of the emotions that he was feeling inside.

The Captain touched his arm briefly, reassuringly. "Take four MACOs, go down to the armory on deck 'F'," she told him, "and take the phase cannons off-line. Unhook the power supplies connected to them if you have to. With the warp drive on stand-by, the entity can't use the power output running through the shipboard conduits to attack you any longer."

"No," Andrews replied tensely. "But it can think of other things…"

"Make _certain_ that our weapons are useless to it," said Hernandez sternly, snapping the Lieutenant back to attention. "I don't want it shooting down or attacking any ships that eventually decide to show up looking for us."

He nodded, turning to pick four marines out of the crowd. Together the small group raised their weapons and headed out of engineering, back toward the nearest ladderwell. Hernandez turned thoughtfully toward Lt. Wakefield, who was curiously studying data from the new Science station. She was comparing it to additional data that she had displayed on her handheld scanner with a definite look of suspicion.

"What? What's going on?" said Captain Hernandez.

Wakefield glanced at her with a note of concern. "The creature wiped our databanks on the bridge," she said. "All of the sensor scans that Lt. Andrews and I took while you and the boarding party were aboard the _Hemmapek_ are gone… it erased everything." She shook her head with dismay. "Fortunately I downloaded the survey data into my scanner before we evacuated from the bridge. There's something else out there…"

"Another creature?"

"No Captain…" As she spoke a large explosion shook the entire ship, and the walls around them rumbled ominously in response. The filtered atmosphere around them swirled with a sinister hiss and began rushing back out into the corridor behind them.

"Another power conduit has ruptured in crew quarters!" someone shouted. "It's on this deck! We've got at least two more hull breaches… stand by and we'll do our best to seal the room."

Hernandez waited edgily, listening for the sound of the escaping atmosphere to decrease. Once the damage control team had sealed off the compromised room, the ship's life support system slowly began returning their air to a breathable level. "It's one damned thing after another today," said the Captain heatedly. "We've got to find a way to end this stalemate." She turned back to Wakefield. "_What_ specifically is out there?"

The Lieutenant studied the realigned sensors, now pointed directly at the disturbance. Carefully she keyed in her command sequences, making sure to identify them first by manually typing the prefix code. The combination of the code and manually data entered commands had prevented the entity from using its ability to input its own orders wirelessly. So far.

"It looks like a sub-space rupture of some sort," said Wakefield as she analyzed the newest data. "We couldn't detect it before because of all the dust particles surrounding Tau Ceti… it was partially shielded from our scans. It's similar to the void created by a stable warp field, except that this is some sort of fold – perhaps even a permanent tear – in the fabric between normal space and subspace."

"Is it caused by a black hole, or perhaps a dwarf star of some sort?"

"Nooo…" Wakefield studied the data carefully. "Aside from all of the gravitons leaking through, I'd say it matches the textbook definition of a wormhole." Sheila used her terminal to generate a computer model of the anomaly; the non-visible portions of which were automatically identified and color coded by levels of radioactivity to reflect their danger to humanoid life.

Erika was watching the sensor readings too. "Whatever it is, there's a tremendous source of gravity near the other side," she observed. "Measurements are off the scale, in fact. Is it possible that our unwanted visitor originally _came_ from there?"

"I'd say it's almost certainly where this entity came from," nodded Wakefield. "Without sending a probe through, it will be impossible to calculate exactly where the other end of this thing leads to. However, I'd say that the starting point originates somewhere along the outer rim of our galaxy… at the very tip of the 'Perseus External' arm."

Henry Maxwell had been treated for the burns he received when his console exploded, then released by Doctor Petroyko. So he, Commander Strong, and Lt. Matthews all gathered around Wakefield and the Captain so that they could also listen to the conversation. They stood there, studying the graphic computer representation of the wormhole curiously, watching it pulsate softly as high levels of gravity reached out of its center and tugged mightily at everything surrounding the entry point. Already a long filament of dust from Tau Ceti had begun to stretch outwards toward it, attracted by the heavy gravity field that was steadily emanating from the other side of the wormhole.

"This is a new stellar object… and _wasn't_ here the last time one of our ships passed by, or they would have reported it to Starfleet as an environmental hazard," pointed out Maxwell. "Whatever that object is, I can assure you that it hasn't been here for more than a few weeks. I routinely get updates on the Starfleet communications channels regarding new objects… especially the ones that pose a hazard to normal traffic."

"It's a danger to most of this sector," said Wakefield unfavorably. "Or it will be before too much longer. And I find it most interesting that the entity used it to travel here… to a tactically sound position less than twelve light years from Earth. The way it can manipulate our computer and power systems… can you imagine if it got access to technology on a planetary scale…?"

The Captain flipped open her communicator. "Hernandez to Andrews."

The pause before he responded was refreshingly brief. "_Andrews here…_"

"Get your work done in the armory Lieutenant," she ordered. "Then stand by. It's quite possible that _Columbia_ may be going for a bumpy ride, and if we do we're going to need your photonic torpedoes. Lt. Wakefield will contact you with specifications for yield settings."

"_Acknowledged_."

Strong looked at her with a concerned expression. "You're not thinking about taking _Columbia_ inside that thing?" he said with growing anxiety, pointing at the on-screen computer simulation of the inter-spatial rupture. "Are you?"

Hernandez sighed and met his gaze steadily. "We've got a confirmed hostile entity aboard our ship, sitting virtually on Earth's doorstep. I don't like the situation any more than you do, Commander, but it seems to me that if we take our ship through that anomaly we'll leave Tau Ceti far behind and arrive at wherever this thing originally came from. According to Lt. Wakefield, that ought to be very _far_ from here."

The Commander gestured toward the makeshift Science station. "Look at the gravity field generated from whatever is inside that anomaly. In all likelihood, that kind of vortex will tear _Columbia_ completely apart. Our structural integrity won't hold for long in a gravity field like that… certainly not for more than a few minutes, at best."

Matthews evaluated their remaining options, struggling to come up with alternatives. "We could send a shuttle pod inside first, to map a safe course through for _Columbia_ to use later," he suggested.

Hernandez shook her head. "We're better shielded from the background radiation right here in engineering. There is an alien entity aboard _Columbia_, ladies and gentlemen. So we're going to do our sworn duty and protect Starfleet. We're going to make damn certain that – whatever happens to us – this hostile _creature_ hitching a ride with us ends up somewhere _else_… somewhere very far away."

"Agreed," Strong said reluctantly, after thinking the matter over for another minute. "If we angle our course safely around the outer perimeter of the gravitational field on the other side, we have a good chance of surviving the trip. And if we do keep our ship intact, we'll have plenty of time once we arrive at the exit point to figure out how to get rid of our unwanted guest."

"The larger issue is that we won't know where to steer until we first travel through it and see what's on the other side," said Hernandez with a shrug. "Normally I prefer to look before I leap." She glanced over at the Commander. "Can we survive inside that thing?"

Strong snorted with laughter. "The shorter our time inside of there, the better off I predict we will be," he replied tersely. "However, we can work out a basic orbital course in advance, and include adjustable target parameters that Lt. Matthews can adjust at the last second."

"What about the wormhole?" asked Wakefield. "If we do appear somewhere farther away and manage to force the entity to leave _Columbia_, we might be disabled and unable to return. It can simply leave us behind and use the sub-space rupture to come right back to Tau Ceti, then pick up business right where it left off."

"Not if we use our torpedoes to collapse the entrance to the anomaly from the other side," pointed out Captain Hernandez. "That's going to be Lt. Andrews' job."

"Will torpedoes be enough?" Strong wondered. "The entity might not need more than a pinhole."

Hernandez grinned confidently. "Lt. Wakefield is a sub-space specialist," the Captain noted. "If anyone can collapse that thing, she can."

"With photonic torpedoes, it won't be a problem," said Sheila with a nod. "At the very least, I'll be able to make this end of it spin out of control, ending up far, far away from Tau Ceti."

"And we'll be safely in the 'Perseus External' arm," added Hernandez. "That's a long trip home, but we'll be able to send a message to Starfleet to let them know what happened."

"If we can get rid of the entity first," warned Strong. "Until then, communications are down."

"One problem at a time please, Commander."

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54942.7:

* * *

Commander Chakotay sat in _Voyager_'s command seat, idly watching the stars stream by on the forward viewscreen. They had been following the coordinates provided to them by 'Q' for several days now without any luck. Chakotay was a rugged, dark-haired physical man who normally possessed a lot of patience, but even he found himself growing more and more restless as each moment passed and nothing unusual showed itself. 

"This may be the one occasion where we discover that even 'Q' doesn't know everything," he stated bluntly. "He may claim to be omnipotent, but the universe is a pretty big place."

Lt. Tom Paris occupied his usual position at the helm, and he shrugged his shoulders as he too kept an eye on the view ahead of them. "I never have felt quite right about things when that guy shows up," he noted with a shake of his head. "Some folks are just plain trouble, that's all there is to it."

Paris ignored the 'it takes one to know one' look that he got from Ensign Kim.

"Are you certain 'Q' told the Captain that the data he gave her was a shortcut?" asked the Ensign.

"Absolutely," Chakotay confirmed. "According to the Captain, he even joked that he didn't want to do _all_ the work for us… so I doubt we'll be seeing the Alpha Quadrant in the near future."

"How _will_ we cope without him?" sighed Kim with a note of frustration. "Honestly, we've already moved at least ten light years off our optimal course back to the Alpha Quadrant… if this journey doesn't yield some results soon we may actually be _adding_ time to our trip home."

"What about Starfleet… or Dr. Zimmerman at Jupiter Station?" asked Paris curiously. "Were they able to provide any details on our little detour?"

Chakotay shook his head negatively. "All they know is what they can see with their space-based observational telescopes… they've also got some data from a few long range probes that made it inside Delta Quadrant space over the years. Based on every report reviewed so far, we're headed into a largely unexplored region."

Alarms suddenly blared and the bridge lights dimmed as the ship went unexpectedly to red alert. Chakotay swung one of the portable data monitors over to hover above the right armrest on his chair and promptly began studying the sensor data that was simultaneously displaying behind him at Lt. Tuvok's tactical station. There was a brief pause as everyone on the bridge checked their work and verified battle readiness.

"Sensors have detected a debris field ahead that appears to have a Borg signature," stated Tuvok.

Chakotay tapped the internal ship Comm-link. "Captain Janeway to the bridge," he said, feeling the familiar rise of fear in his heart each time they ran into that one, relentless, automated enemy that they never quite seemed able to leave permanently behind.

Starfleet had not been the same since its first encounter with them, and – although _Voyager_ had managed to escape from the very heart of Borg space several years ago – they were still close enough to the 'neighborhood'. It kept everyone on their toes, and over the years they had routinely changed course many times to avoid contact with Borg ships. The entire galaxy was their playground, after all, and they always seemed to be searching for something new and unique to assimilate.

"_Commander Chakotay, this is Seven of Nine in the Astrometrics lab_."

He tapped his Comm-badge. "Go ahead Seven."

"_Commander Data and I have directed _Voyager_'s sensors ahead… toward the debris field that was just detected. Preliminary indications are that there were at least four vessels, all of which appear to have self destructed. The fragments are largely scattered throughout this region, because the explosions occurred slightly less than one year ago_."

The lift doors at the rear of the bridge snapped open and Captain Janeway emerged, her short, neatly combed red hair cascading around her shoulders as she entered. They had been in the Delta Quadrant for almost seven years, and in all that time everyone who walked onto the bridge saw the same crisp, well-trained Starfleet crew that normally inhabited the Alpha Quadrant. The only possible exception to the rule was that brief period when the Kazon had taken over, during which time efficiency on the Starship had declined noticeably.

"Report," ordered Janeway as Chakotay moved over one seat to his right, allowing her to take over the center seat.

"There is a massive debris field less than a light year from our current position," stated Lt. Tuvok. "Seven of Nine and Commander Data are providing us with additional data from the Astrometrics lab… it appears as though three cubes and a scout vessel were traveling through this area and self destructed. What caused them to make this decision is currently unknown."

"Apart from passing by several uninhabited star systems, this is the only item of interest that we've run across since we left our projected course," noted Chakotay.

"Is there normally Borg activity in this region?" wondered Janeway curiously.

"_Negative_." Although she was down in the Astrometrics lab, Seven seemed totally sure of her pronouncement. "_All four sectors in this region have a notorious reputation for being relatively unpopulated and severely lacking in technological hardware. A few of the species that do live in this region aren't even warp capable_."

Janeway mulled the information over. "Then I wonder what the _Borg_ were doing here," she said finally, arms crossed and her expression still puzzled. A thought occurred to her. "Seven, are you certain that the ships self destructed?"

There was a pause… even though their resident Borg expert always knew her facts before she spoke up, it was quite probable that she was triple-checking her data one last time anyway. "_Lt. Tuvok's scans have detected no traces of residual weapons fire on the debris fragments… no sign of tractor beam activity, directed energy discharges, or other hostile action of any kind_."

Commander Data spoke up. "_The Borg are always extremely hesitant to sacrifice ships and drones unless they are in danger of being captured. However, they rely heavily on the assimilation of technology from other cultures to advance their own technology and have regularly gone out of their way to deny that same advantage to their opponents. If they encountered someone or something that significantly compromised their security, that would be sufficient cause for them to initiate self destruct_."

Janeway nodded in agreement. "Full long range scan Mr. Tuvok," she said. "There might still be something else out here… something that attracted their attention and lured them here."

The Vulcan tactical officer raised an eyebrow at her request. "I have already completed a detailed scan of the surrounding territory," he pointed out. "Aside from a series of star systems ahead with reasonable sized populations, there is nothing I can see that would pose any reasonable threat to an opponent like the Borg."

"_The Borg did _not_ come here planning to assimilate the populations on the planets we have detected_," observed Seven. "_Although many of the inhabited star systems ahead of us do have warp-capable ships at their disposal, the outward radius of their exploration indicates that they are limited to a maximum velocity of warp four. Borg drones would consider such technology to be irrelevant and unworthy of pursuit._"

Chakotay's expression was grim. "In other words, they've got bigger fish to fry. They would rather focus their attention on the more advanced populations in the galaxy first."

"_Precisely, Commander_."

_Voyager_ dropped out of warp, shedding its faster than light velocity to sub-light speed. The large starship continued to close in on the debris field at low impulse. Millions of large and medium-sized fragments of debris from the four vessels filled the foreground of the viewscreen. The lengthy cloud of rubble stretched far into the background of the image as far as their eyes could see. Many of the larger, more sizeable hardware fragments were scattered and tougher to find since the entire collection of debris had been slowly spreading steadily outward for almost a year.

"This entire area is still saturated with higher than normal levels of anti-matter radiation," noted Tuvok. "I am increasing power to _Voyager_'s deflector shields."

"If the Borg were planning to send out a search party, they probably have already done so," commented Chakotay. "Still, I recommend we stay at yellow alert while _Voyager_ remains in the area."

"_There was no search party_." Again, Seven sounded very certain of her stance. "_If self-destruct was initiated – and I am virtually certain that this was the case – then the Borg Collective had already evaluated the situation and concluded that this convoy's security had been compromised beyond the point where it was capable of defending itself. The Queen may choose to send a scout ship through this region now and then to search for whomever or whatever caused the malfunction, but they won't risk a major presence in this area again until they can identify something to study and establish what they're up against._"

"So someone socked it to the Borg and then high-tailed it out of here?" Paris looked rather pleased for a change. A few minutes earlier his cheeks had paled at the mere mention of the 'B' word, but now color was returning to them and he seemed more relaxed. "It's just too bad no one stuck around for us to thank."

As usual, Tuvok was not so quick to celebrate. "There may still _be_ someone here Lieutenant," he pointed out. "Our sensors could simply be incapable of detecting them."

The pink drained out of Tom Paris' cheeks again and he busied himself with the helm controls, pausing the ship's forward progress briefly as it reached the outer edge of the blast radius. Janeway took only a moment on this occasion to decide their next move.

"Seven, I want you and Commander Chakotay to take the Delta Flyer into the debris field. Locate and access tactical information from any data nodes that survived the explosion. Take Commander Data with you… I'll be interested to hear his analysis as well."

"_Yes Captain_." From Astrometrics, Seven terminated her communications link with the bridge.

As Janeway spoke, Commander Chakotay stood up and smiled. "I doubt there's much left out there, but Seven can usually decrypt anything that hasn't been vaporized… she's even been known to recover data from severely damaged equipment that most people would normally discard."

The Captain took a deep breath, watching the debris on the viewscreen tumble randomly this way and that. "Chakotay, I would be _very_ interested to know what drew the Borg here, and even more curious as to what possibly could have so rattled them that the Collective felt the need to kill them off."

"We'll do our best to get some answers for you Captain," promised Chakotay. He disappeared into a turbolift, on his way to the shuttle bay.

"This might have been the result of sabotage by drones we liberated during the Unimatrix Zero mission," speculated Tuvok. "Once separated from the Collective, they would try and cause exactly this type of disruption. After all, the Queen has discarded ships before in order to get rid of affected drones."

"Somehow I don't think you're right Mr. Tuvok. My gut tells me we aren't going to get that lucky this time around," mused Janeway.

"Why do you say that Captain?" Kim wondered curiously.

"Because 'Q' _sent_ us here," she replied firmly.

* * *

**_Author's Notes:_** By the way... thanks as always go to my biggest fan _**Le'letha**_!

And for those who think you know what's going on, well you really don't!


	5. The Battle For Columbia

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter IV: The Battle For _Columbia

* * *

_**

Alpha Quadrant, Tau Ceti Star System, February 23, 2156:

* * *

Captain Erika Hernandez matched Commander Andrew Strong's stern gaze with her own determined expression. "Ready?" she asked. 

"Ready," said Strong firmly, touching the keypad in front of him and rebooting the warp core. The rumble from the intermix of matter and anti-matter as it chain reacted together started up slowly at first and continued to build in crescendo. Until the sound of the warp five engine broke the silence, _Columbia_'s 'D' deck had grown eerily quiet. Most people had simply moved back and forth wordlessly, attending to their jobs or holding weapons at the ready, waiting for the Captain's decision to proceed.

"Lt. Matthews, set a course for that sub-space rupture and accelerate to one quarter impulse. Take us in, and have course adjustment parameters ready to input on the fly. There's some hellacious gravity on the other side of that thing." Hernandez was busy studying Lt. Wakefield's latest sensor sweeps, and she was more than a little concerned about the pounding they were about to endure. The ship had already sustained plenty of structural damage from the multiple power conduit ruptures.

"_Halt forward momentum… alter your course… please. Please!_" The strange alien voice crackled out of the portable transceiver hooked into Henry Maxwell's communications console.

Most of the people manning the temporary bridge stations around the engine core glanced up in surprise, despite their training and discipline. The odd, relatively emotionless voice of the entity hadn't spoken to them for quite some time now. The suddenness of their decision to enter the wormhole obviously had it concerned; it was no longer giving orders, instead choosing to plead with them as though it were some sort of victim.

"Get off my ship and our course won't be a problem for you," stated the Captain flatly.

"_I won't go back_," it continued, "…_please, please don't make me go back_."

"_Get off my ship!_" commanded Hernandez, and the angered expression on her face chilled her crew even more than the dangerous alien they were confronting. She nodded to Matthews. "Polarize our hull plating. Then increase our velocity to full impulse."

"Aye… full impulse Captain."

_Columbia_ had crawled forward at first, but now accelerated suddenly toward the nearby spatial rupture. Figuring out that the entity did not want to return to where it came from based on its latest comments was easy; trying to figure out a way to force it to leave the starship behind was another matter entirely. It very badly wanted to maintain possession of their warp core and the interstellar capabilities that came with it.

"_Don't make me go back… I am sorry I killed your people_."

"Does that include the Tellarites too?" snapped the Captain sharply. "Unfortunately your deep regrets and false sympathy can't bring them back… can't restore those lives to me or to their families. Get off my ship or our fate is also yours…"

"_Stop the ship… obey me!_" the entity ordered, its temporary pretense at regret and despair fading as quickly as it had appeared.

The Captain had absolutely no inclination to comply with the creature's demands. It had no physical body, had surrounded their warp core, and was continuing to grow stronger and stronger as time passed. Even with the warp engines on standby it had collected usable energy from the ship's lighting, life support, electrical systems… probably even from the nearby, bright Tau Ceti star. Wherever it had come from, its ability to strengthen itself there had obviously been limited. Thus Hernandez had completely dedicated the starship's immediate future to returning the entity to its point of origin as rapidly as possible.

_Columbia_ struck the outer event horizon of the sub-space wormhole and was rewarded by a massive jolt from the thick fingers of gravity poking through from the other side. Lt. Matthews had them at full impulse now, and still they gained momentum as the starship was seized by the heavy pull from the other side and yanked inside. They had no viewscreen… no one but Wakefield and Hernandez saw the clouds of glittering green energy surrounding the starship's hull as they rocketed forward at a speed that continued to increase. Their momentum continued to approach 1c – three hundred thousand kilometers per second – and they were still moving faster as they moved closer to the rupture's exit point.

"Hernandez to Lt. Andrews. _Fire_ aft torpedoes!" the Captain ordered. "Then reload both tubes. As soon as we reach the other side of this rupture, _blow it to hell too!_"

There was a pause, since her tactical officer obviously didn't want to have live torpedoes physically loaded into the firing tubes until the last second. She heard the familiar sound of them launching and knew, without a shadow of a doubt that if the entrance near Tau Ceti survived the experience, then at least the tunnel inside – linking one side to the other – would collapse in multiple places just like an unstable mine shaft. The entire wormhole was about to become a navigational nightmare for any traveler… be it based on matter, energy or some sort of bizarre combination of both.

Inertial dampers inside the rupture were only partially successful, and most of the crew was thrown across engineering as _Columbia_ bucked ferociously back and forth; trying to move forward at the speed it was being pulled but continually running into various walls of twisting graviton sheer that were funneling unpredictably through the tiny gateway spanning the two real space exit points. Lt. Matthews somehow remained in his seat, but temporarily lost control of the helm as the starship slewed sideways back into normal space.

* * *

Alpha Quadrant, Questar M-17, Stardate 5251.6:

* * *

The abrupt braking maneuver buckled the hull on several decksbut in the end the severe structural damage was worth it, since it ended up saving the ship from an instant death on the surface of the dead star below.

Matthews was on his game and quickly used their maneuvering thrusters to spin _Columbia_ outward, facing away from the danger waiting lifelessly beneath them. The impulse engines continued firing as the ship actually flew sideways in a poor excuse for a circular orbit around Questar. The starship managed to hold its distance constant as it continued the extremely unstable orbit, its impulse engines battling the intense might of the gravity well for control of their immediate future.

Hernandez glanced around engineering, watching the walls physically buckle… bending first one way and then the other. Between the larger high pressure impacts, most of the metallic plating returned to a reasonable semblance of its former shape. All across the cavernous room, the sound of the stress exerted on the external hull was almost overwhelming. Matthews watched his console cautiously, holding onto it with white knuckled intensity even when he wasn't inputting commands into the terminal. The work crews had taken the time necessary to bolt the tables and equipment firmly to the deck plating, but in this type of situation there was no guarantee that the temporary bridge fixtures they had so hastily set up would hold.

"It's a huge gravity source, just like we expected!" Matthews screamed above the sound of fatigued metal being twisted beyond all reasonable expectations. "Setting course 237 mark 115… _initiating!_"

Amid the seemingly endless background noise comprised of hull stress and engine howl, Hernandez heard the distinct sound of two more photon torpedoes launching. Lt. Wakefield was lying flat on her back alongside her control station, a large bloody cut on her forehead. She stood up as though nothing at all was out of the ordinary, ignoring the spatters of blood that hit the metal floor at her feet. She returned to her station and studied the screen intently…

"It's Questar M-17," she shouted triumphantly. "We're in the 'Perseus External' arm of the Alpha Quadrant, just like I predicted!"

"Route all available and emergency power to the impulse engines," said Hernandez using a tone she reserved only for the gravest of situations. "Sheer away, Mr. Matthews!"

He shook his head. "Impossible… we emerged too low in orbit. The best I can do is hold us steady long enough to engage warp drive for a few seconds." His screen showed the ship's aft camera angle, and the dark, pock-marked surface of the dead Questar star loomed far too close for comfort. "If we can pull ourselves to a higher altitude, we should be able to reach escape velocity and break completely free of this thing… at minimum I'll swing us into a stable orbit."

Behind him the warp engine noticeably trembled as the deck plating beneath it was stretched from all sides by the external gravity. The ship constantly pitching first one way and then the other as it struggled to stay pointed away from the bottom of the gravity well didn't help matters much. The massive tug of war between gravity and impulse engines continued, and Matthews earned his pay and then some that day as he quite simply refused to let _Columbia_ fall into the massive trap patiently waiting for them below.

Lt. Wakefield had expected this level of gravity, but Hernandez hadn't. The Captain turned to Matthews with a look of growing concern. "Orbit?" she asked. "If we settle for an orbit we're going to end up trapped here with the entity… we're taking severe structural damage, and it's quite possible that we'll never be able to repair the ship enough without a space dock to break free of this place intact." She had to shout to be heard, but they were all, surprisingly, getting used to the intensity of the situation much more quickly than anyone should have.

Matthews features were locked with fierce determination as he worked. "No choice," he insisted between tremors that continued to pound the ship from all sides. "The alternative is to gradually but inevitably allow the gravity to win… it'll pull us apart piece by piece, hull plate by hull plate, until our power systems fail. One brief loss of impulse and it's all over…"

"Okay! _You're_ the pilot," conceded Hernandez, slapping him briskly on the back of his sweat soaked blue Starfleet uniform.

"And _you're_ the one who suggested we take this one step at a time," Commander Strong pointed out. He was holding his right arm awkwardly, nursing an injury, but he took a moment to nudge his Captain with his left elbow. "Warp power available as needed, Lt. Matthews."

Hernandez studied the Commander's expression carefully. For him to be holding that arm in the manner that he was… she had no doubt that it was broken. He watched her in return, noting the concern in her eyes and responding with a look of his own.

_Not now_, his eyes flashed at her. _First things first_.

Things were bad enough, but a series of thundering rumbles suddenly echoed throughout engineering. Between the sound of the mysterious invading entity screaming endlessly in sheer terror and the new ruckus, Hernandez suddenly found herself wondering for the first time whether _Columbia_ would actually be able to take the pounding and hold together. She turned to Lt. Wakefield for an update, and although the news was bad it could have been much worse.

"The entity is retaliating with everything it has left," observed her science officer. "It just jettisoned all of the escape pods from the bottom of the saucer, and I'm getting intermittent readings from the current status readouts in our shuttle bay. It's probably trying to damage the shuttles too." She looked almost apologetic.

"Don't beat yourself up Lieutenant," suggested Hernandez with authority. "We secured _primary_ systems first under my direct order to do so. The rest of our systems are quite simply not worth wasting time on at this point."

"Aye Captain."

The dangerous hiss of escaping atmosphere could be heard now and then… the bridge crew ignored it and continued to work at their stations as damage control parties rushed back and forth. It was easier with all of them on 'D' deck; the condition of the rest of the ship would have to wait until they had time to poke their noses out and take a look… if they got the chance. They had been at their arrival point only several brief minutes, but already it seemed like an eternity.

"_Matthews_… where's that orbit you promised me?"

"Working on it," he snarled. The warp engines sprang to life and died almost as quickly. "Trying to create a stable warp field in here is _not_ working," he pointed out. "I don't think we're going to be able to engage engines as promised."

Hernandez chuckled bitterly, more from frustration than anything else. She cast yet another look at Strong. The Commander nodded without saying anything, knowing that their survival was all that mattered now. "Route warp power to the impulse engines," she said tersely. "Run them at 150 percent."

"_Captain?_" It was tough to catch Matthews off guard, but she had done so.

"Do it," she snapped, and he nodded in acknowledgement as he busied himself.

"Impulse engines to 150 percent," he reported. "We're going to blow them apart if we do this for any reasonable length of time… _but_…" He checked the status indicators as the impulse engines howled in the background like nothing any of them had ever heard before. "_It's working!_" Matthews shouted with relief. "We're pulling out of it, to a higher altitude. I'm angling us into a standard high orbit. Stand by!"

The ship shuddered again, several more times in fact. More people flew first one way and then the other… even those who had managed to grab something solid and hang on. Hernandez saw blood splattered against one wall and knew that whatever else happened this day, their Doctor would be very busy for some time to come. She held her fear and rage inside, controlling it with almost Vulcan-like expertise, but time and circumstances were wearing her down. She was preparing to rear back her head and scream in hatred at the entity that had attacked her ship… but then things began to settle down.

_Columbia_, piloted expertly by Lt. Matthews, skated across the current of immense gravity surrounding them and abruptly angled cleanly into an orbital slot that kicked them clear of the worst of the turbulence. The ship swung around the dead star at a high, orbital altitude, its impulse engines backing down to a momentum suitable for keeping their orbit stable. The surreal, emerald green glow surrounding the engine cylinder had faded and Captain Hernandez spun around… searching for the entity and trying to spot it with her eyes alone.

"The creature is gone," stated Lt. Wakefield as though reading her Captain's thoughts. "It fled the ship… I can see the glow from its electromagnetic field surrounding the dead star. This must be where it started from… and it must have somehow figured out how to tunnel through sub-space, because I'm reading another wormhole in here. The torpedoes have completely disrupted the original rupture we passed through, but there's _another_ one bearing 041 mark 12… almost directly in front of us."

"Matthews, can we make it inside?" Hernandez knew there was little time to debate the issue, and every gut instinct that drove her decision making process was yelling at her to save her battered and weary ship. Still she forced herself to remain calm long enough to objectively evaluate their alternatives before coming to her final decision.

Strong raised an eyebrow and looked extremely concerned. "We don't know where it leads to," he warned her.

Erika simply shook her head. "I don't care, as long as it leads away from _here!_" she snapped back at him, a little too heatedly for her taste. She made a mental note to apologize later, once their survival was a sure thing and not riding on a ten second gamble.

Matthews checked their course and speed. "I can get us in there Captain," he promised her. "But I'll have to burn impulse engines above maximum again… at least 130 percent."

"_Do it Henry!_" she shouted at the top of her lungs. Less than two minutes inside the gravity well had damaged her ship beyond belief… she couldn't imagine it holding together for much longer.

An instant later, _Columbia_ vanished inside the second sub-space rupture, leaving Questar M-17 very quickly – and very far – behind it.

* * *

_The Vryke settled back around the dormant M-17 star comfortably, like a foot slipping into a favorite slipper. The brief time that it had been out of its isolated prison had terrified it… the humans that it had encountered in the past were even more unpredictable than the crew of the _Enterprise_ had been. It was shocked, angry, and terrified at the fierce resolve and unpredictability that every life form it encountered continued to demonstrate._

_In the old days it had captured many vessels… the plant-based ship composed of pods that had eventually put the entity out of commission for so many years was the exception during that era rather than the rule. But in this era even the vulnerable Tellarites had rebelled against it, shouting endless curses and refusing to comply. It had killed them off one by one, then in groups, and all the while they had ignored its demands for obedience and physically jettisoned their engine core in an attempt to stop it from hijacking anyone else._

_To make matters worse, _Columbia_ had closed its wormhole into the past while using the second to escape. As the Vryke began to settle down and regroup, gathering its thoughts, it noticed that the second wormhole poking across the galaxy and into the future had closed also. Obviously, Captain Hernandez and her crew were doing everything they could from the other side to make certain that their enemy did not follow them back out into normal space. They considered their opponent to be captured again and helpless._

They were wrong.

_The Vryke's first step was to avoid repeating the mistakes it had already made twice. Obviously the Alpha Quadrant was now populated by hostile, aggressive species that – even after completing its reproductive cycle – the Vryke would be unable to control. Its thirst for revenge had been somewhat negated by the ferocity with which the humans and Tellarites had opposed it. Like the proverbial school yard bully with a bloodied nose, the Vryke decided that it would be better off searching through other areas of the galaxy and locating less hostile, more docile life forms to dominate._

_The first thing it planned to do differently was to substantially decrease the size of its wormholes. With practice came experience, and it was getting very talented at sub-space manipulation using the endless supply of gravitons within Questar's massive gravity well. Since it was a being of bodiless energy, the Vryke needed only a smaller, thinner wormhole… something that would prevent a starship from reusing the tactics that the _Columbia_'s crew had deployed to defeat it in its most recent escape attempt. _

_The creature had absorbed quite a bit of radiant energy from Tau Ceti and the warp engines of the ships it had briefly made contact with. The power currently at its disposal was considerable compared to the bare minimum that it was used to during those long years between visits while trapped at Questar. Then it had relied solely upon the dimmer, barely perceptible twinkle of starlight to sustain itself… not nearly enough for it to do anything other than hold on tightly for its very survival._

_Kirk's _Enterprise_ had provided it enough power and knowledge to attempt an escape, and – hopefully – _Columbia_ had given it both power and also a greater wisdom to make its third attempt to leave a lucky charm. Thus it began creating several new test wormholes, poking them both forward and back through time… each exiting at a different point in the galaxy. The Vryke tethered each of them to Questar using gravitons that it was able to manipulate by accessing its stolen knowledge of sub-space mechanics and quantum theory. It played with each, sometimes for weeks at a time… sometimes for only a minute or two._

_Over and over the Vryke sent its tunnels burrowing through other space and emerging far across the galaxy, while on other occasions it kept the exit points much closer. Through each of them it temporarily poked a bit of itself as it had before, observing the local environment carefully and mulling over whether or not this was the place to finally make its stand. It was ready to reproduce – to create a second version of itself that would mutate slightly as the Vryke began to evolve into a large, bodiless 'multi-celled' organism._

_It had no idea that 'Q' was watching it, observing it as he had since the Vryke's initial encounter with Captain Kirk's _Enterprise_. The Continuum was always interested in anything that could rival its immortality and abilities to manipulate the cosmic environments surrounding it. 'Q' was curious simply because he had not been able to 'sense' the Vryke… in fact had not even known that it was in the Milky Way. Whether that was due to some unique property unknown to him, the huge gravity well in which the entity hid, or something that was simply related to its extreme age he did not know. _

_All 'Q' knew was that the Vryke was planning to leave its prison and begin dominating every life form that it came in contact with. The delicate balance of life currently populating the Milky Way was about to be threatened in a huge way. The Continuum wasn't certain yet whether it wanted to permit that, so they dished the problem off to 'Q' and left it up to him to decide what to do. After all, he usually wasn't busy doing anything that could be considered constructive anyway._

'_Q' used this particular opportunity to teach his son how to move back and forth through time. "This is one of the ways, my boy, that you become all-knowing, all-seeing, and omnipotent. You travel wherever and whenever you want to, all at the snap of my non-existent fingers." Together they appeared unseen near Questar M-17 and watched the Vryke poke holes in the sub-space fabric of the universe._

"_If we truly are omnipotent, how come you didn't know about this creature before Starfleet found it?" his son asked him, leaving 'Q' to simply chuckle and shake a non-existent finger at the boy. _

_He admired young 'q's ability to think through a problem, and as they observed the Vryke further it began ridding itself of its unwanted wormholes. It was then that 'Q' came to his decision. As the entity finished with each wormhole surveillance, it began to sever the graviton tethers binding the closer end of each near Questar. The two members of the Continuum watched with amusement as each suddenly freed wormhole, one after the other, spun instantly away to vanish somewhere inside subspace. Some of them would collapse, while others would reappear elsewhere in the Milky Way._

"_So son," said 'Q' with a smile. "What do you think the Continuum should do about this creature?"_

_The younger, adolescent 'q' thought for a minute and then grinned, coming very quickly to a decision. "I think we should let Aunt Kathy teach it a thing or two," he decided. "She's likely to make it wish it were back aboard the _Columbia_, before all is said and done."_

_If they had been corporeal at the time, 'Q' would have rubbed his boy's hair with a chuckle. "You learn quickly, my dear dear son," he said. "The first time I boarded _Voyager_ after it became stranded in the Delta Quadrant, my initial impression of Kathryn was not a good one. But over the years her style and manner grew on me… she's not nearly as obtuse as Jean-Luc, and she's much better looking. On several occasions I seriously considered sending her crew home immediately, but observing them has always been more fun. And I do have to admit, everywhere that they have journeyed in the Delta Quadrant, they have made a _considerable_ impact."_

"_So why did you give them that shortcut?"_

"_Ah yes," grinned 'Q'. "The _shortcut_." He laughed heartily for a moment as they continued watching the Vryke dig repeatedly into the exposed sub-space surrounding Questar. "Even though it was a reward for their assistance in helping me expose you to good role models, I still think that they have a few more things to do in the Delta Quadrant before we allow them to return home. They'll attain the objective I promised them and knock a few years off the trip back… _if_ they deal first with the Vryke."_

"_Can we send Aunt Kathy a clue?"_

"_Hmm?" 'Q' glanced curiously at his son, truly caught off guard by the boy's unexpected and rather interesting request._

"_Like this… _watch!_" Young 'q' seized one of the tiny wormholes as it was released by the Vryke and caught it with his growing powers. Unknown to the entity he stabilized it, placing one end of it in Romulan space and anchoring the other side firmly in the Delta Quadrant._

'_Q' examined the termination point in the Delta Quadrant and began laughing again, genuinely amused by his son's idea. "When _Voyager_ uses that wormhole to beam the Romulan ship Captain 20 years into the future, they're going to be mighty disappointed at the time shift my boy," he pointed out. "But I think your Aunt Kathy can handle that kind of disappointment. She wouldn't be a Captain otherwise." He thought about the situation for a moment. "And they'll remember that event clearly when they run into something similar six and a half years later."_

_Young 'q' blushed at the praise from his father. "The neat thing about this is that I created it for her," he said exuberantly, "before I was even _born!_ We are 'Q' after all."_

"_Yes we are," grinned the elder 'Q'. "Let's leave the Vryke alone now… leave it in peace to plan its evil deeds. That poor creature has a nasty surprise waiting for it in the Delta Quadrant. It's totally convinced that it has finished its dealings with humans."_

_The two of them moved back into the Continuum just moments before the Vryke came to its final decision. Its newest wormhole, emerging nearly 100 years in the future within the Delta Quadrant, was home to the exact type of population that it was looking for. Some of the cultures on the inhabited planets in the vicinity possessed significant technology, while others nearby did not. The _perfect_ staging ground for its plans._

_The Vryke leaped into the wormhole and left Questar behind once again, appearing on the other side and immediately choosing to close the sub-space rupture behind it. For better or worse, it was never going back to Questar M-17 again. This time it would succeed or it would fail._

_But it was never coming back _here _again._

_There was quite simply too much for it to do… the first task of which was to split into two completely identical entities. Then it would begin introducing itself to the local population…

* * *

_

Gamma Quadrant, Location Unknown, Stardate 42723.9:

(Approximately Ten years before discovery of the Bajoran Celestial Temple)

* * *

The danger to the starship _Columbia_ was far from over.

It took Sheila Wakefield several minutes to analyze the star alignment surrounding them as they exited from the second Questar wormhole. Upon completion, the obviously rattled Lieutenant had informed them that they were in the Gamma Quadrant, over 85,000 light years from their previous location.

"You've got to be kidding me," Hernandez replied with a scowl. Reading the expression on Wakefield's face quickly changed her mind.

The Captain was left with little choice. Opening her communicator and contacting Lt. Andrews in the armory, she promptly ordered him to torpedo the exit point from the second sub-space rupture. Closing it gave them a reasonable chance at permanently trapping the Questar entity back in its long-term prison, and the current status of both _Columbia_ and her surviving crew left her with very few alternatives.

Once the wormhole was closed, Hernandez returned her attention to the young science officer. "Find us an 'M' class planet or moon… the closer the better," she ordered. Wakefield nodded as the Captain moved to stand beside Lt. Matthews. "As soon as you have coordinates, take us to maximum warp… without escape pods, we're going to need a crash site."

Matthews nodded in acknowledgement. The sound of the warp engine had changed from a confident moan into a tortured howl. Thick white smoke was leaking from virtually every crevice in the metal plating that covered the core, and both Captain and the people around her knew that _Columbia_'s chances of survival in space were decreasing by the minute. The sound of stressed, fatigued metal had not diminished despite the abrupt lack of gravity surrounding them upon their re-emergence into normal space… the damage to the starship's vital superstructure had already been done.

"There's a star system just short of three light years distant… fifth planet is 'M' class. A bit dusty and hot, but it'll do." With the Vryke gone they had dropped the computerized security precautions to speed up response time. Thus Wakefield was able to feed the coordinates directly to Matthews' console.

"This is going to really put some stress on our warp core," the helmsman commented as he threw Columbia into warp one. The engine immediately began emitting more smoke and the bulkheads around them shuddered from the vibration of a dangerous, unsteady intermix. He watched the red-line warning indicators carefully, but they stayed steady enough for him to gradually ease them up to warp four point seven. He didn't _dare_ increase velocity any more than that.

Commander Strong was standing in front of the engine station, watching the status readouts. At Hernandez's insistence he had taken a few minutes to let Doctor Petroyko place a sling around his broken right arm. "Don't worry," the Commander said reassuringly to Matthews. "The imbalance sounds worse than it is." His gaze shifted to his Captain. "However, I wouldn't recommend any five year missions in our near future… at least not without a lengthy space dock first."

Hernandez shook her head at the dry humor of Commander Strong, still present and unfailing even in a crisis situation. "Five year missions are still on Starfleet's long term planning board," she told him. "Although I would think that even with a space dock, we have a long term mission in front of us if we're ever going to see home again."

An unexpected explosion rocked the warp core, throwing flame and sparks across the faces of the bridge crew set up on the port side. Lt. Matthews ignored it and maintained their speed, keeping _Columbia_'s course on a straight line bearing directly toward the star system that Wakefield had chosen for them. Commander Strong shook his head and pointed to the rear of the engine.

"Biggs, Rivers, get on that overload _now_," he said tersely. Two of his engineering team, one man and one woman, moved quickly toward the damaged access way with portable tool kits. "I hope I live to laugh about this," Strong mumbled quietly, his humor beginning to crack at least a little bit. In that regard, Hernandez's emotions mirrored his.

* * *

They made it into the star system intact, but the trip into the fifth planet's atmosphere was an even bigger hell than Questar had been. _Columbia_ was suffering from several structural damage and the signs of ongoing strain clearly showed. With weapons no longer needed, Captain Hernandez took a moment to order Lt. Andrews and his MACO escorts out of the armory… she was planning to ground a ship that was not designed for a planetary set down, even under ideal conditions. She doubted that anyone wanted to be sitting helplessly on Deck 'F' when that happened.

Lt. Matthews had the biggest challenge… without the normal bridge viewscreen he was limited to the forward camera feed displayed on a small side console. The friction from the planet's atmosphere was difficult enough to see through, but the limited view ahead also forced him to fly almost completely on automated instrumentation only. For the most part it was working, and he was confident that they would be able to set the ship down with at least some lives intact.

_That was before the inertial dampers failed along with auxiliary power._

Captain Hernandez stepped out into the corridor, noting as she did so that the circular metal framework holding the bulkheads in place had been visibly warped… crumpled so completely by the heavy gravity field they had passed through that she could see the deformed oddities with the naked eye. It was also becoming difficult to breathe with all of the unfiltered smoke drifting about… obviously life support was damaged or off-line again as well.

"Get ready for a rough ride!" Hernandez shouted, wishing she could do more than warn everyone. _This was her crew, and it was not supposed to end like this_.

_Not. Like. This_.

Strong stepped up beside her as a fresh wave of turbulence told her that they had angled too sharply into the planet's atmosphere. As they continued to descend, the remaining crew of the starship accumulated even more bumps and bruises.

"It's not your fault, Erika," said Commander Strong sincerely, noting the disappointed expression on her face. "You did everything you could… and no one could have handled this situation any better. We stopped that creature from compromising Starfleet security and from threatening Earth. We've dumped the magnetic bottle system containing our anti-matter, so our crash on this planet will be just that… a crash. No massive environmental damage."

Erika Hernandez walked slowly back into engineering with the Commander at her side and took up a position behind Lt. Matthews. Together they watched the ground coming up at them way too quickly, noting as the crash grew more and more inevitable that the inertial dampers were still red-lined and inoperative.

The planet was too big… it was at least half again as large as Earth and had the extra gravity to boot. _Columbia_ simply weighed too much within its atmosphere and the creaking and moaning from the starship's collapsing superstructure remained a constant reminder to all of them that – tragically – the worst was yet to come.

"Do you have any regrets Commander?" Captain Hernandez asked Strong.

He smiled and thought for a few seconds before he replied. "Not a one. We got to see and explore things most people will never even imagine are out here."

"I wish I had called my mother yesterday, when I had the chance," Hernandez decided with a distinct note of regret. "All of this…" she waved a hand at the smoke-filled engineering bay and the makeshift, improvised emergency bridge stations surrounding them. "…it all happened way too suddenly."

"We have water and food and a great deal of training," said Strong optimistically. He put his good left arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "And if we don't survive the crash, perhaps there is an afterlife."

"I hope Starfleet is ready for this. I hope humanity is…" said Erika fiercely. "The price of exploration is going to cost us… has cost us. Jonathan lost a lot of people in the Delphic Expanse, and I doubt that our casualties here today will be the last in Starfleet's efforts to push outward from Earth and explore space."

Trailing smoke and flames the entire way down, _Columbia_ dropped out of the sky on the fifth planet of the unknown star system in the Gamma Quadrant and struck the ground with a huge rumble. Without their inertial damping system, several more of Erika's crew died in the initial impact.

Those who survived were tossed again an instant later as the ship rebounded briefly into the air and then struck the ground one final time. Matter in motion tended to remain in motion, and although the forward edge of the saucer didn't dip forward into the sand below and tip the starship forward, its momentum slowed abruptly enough that everyone left standing was slammed forward. The survivors would step out onto the sand and try to find a way to survive beneath the planet's hot desert sun.

_It wasn't supposed to end like this… but it did._


	6. Church & State

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter V: Church & State**

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54943.4:

* * *

Commander Chakotay had been on many away missions over the years, and thus it was no accident that he ended up on the surface of the fourth planet of the outermost star system bordering the populated region that _Voyager_ detected. The Doctor had given him a few cranial ridges suitable enough to pass as a member of the native population, causing Chakotay to make his usual "thanks for the forehead of the week" joke. For the most part it was true… most bipeds in the humanoid variety of species wore clothes and – for the most part – had two arms and legs. Therefore Starfleet contact parties were usually safe unless they had some sort of accident and required medical attention. Once a doctor opened up your insides, the truth was quickly obvious. 

_Voyager_'s first officer paused at the edge of a long field of crops that stretched back behind him into the distance. Earlier he had passed something that resembled a field of barley… this section had rows and rows of large yellow flowers with a dark center. Aside from the green edging around their leaves they resembled the sunflowers of Earth, and he wondered briefly whether it was the leaves or the dark center of each flower that was harvested for food. If this was an efficient society, and he had no reason to believe it was not, then perhaps the entire plant was used in some way, shape or form.

This particular planet's people were not space faring, but the shuttle that had dropped him off had retreated back to _Voyager _anyway. At least three other planets in the surrounding star systems did have space traveling cultures, and at minimum there were usually at least a couple of commercial freighters in flight at any given time. There was obviously a thriving merchant trade business between many of the planets, but military ships patrolled the outer rim of each star system as well. Even those people who minded their own business, such as those on this planet, were under constant, intense scrutiny from above.

Until they learned more about what was going on, Captain Janeway wanted to keep Voyager's presence a secret. As a result, Chakotay had recommended that she make use of the fact that she had an extra Commander available to her and grant him leave for an extended away mission. He was fully confident that Data could cover for him in his absence, and a stroll amongst an agrarian based culture would give him a chance to walk in the fresh air, feel sunshine on his face, and basically return to his roots for a brief time. Janeway had smirked in her Captain-like way, then requested that he keep his mission quiet for a time. Otherwise, she felt that more of the crew might be stopping by her office to ask for an 'extended away mission'.

He smiled to himself as he continued walking out of the fields of crops and toward a medium-sized, well built farmhouse. There was a fire burning in a cooking pit out front, and he noticed that the windows had curtains inside that were obviously made of some sort of stitched fabric. Metal tools were scattered around the front yard, and he could see additional farming implements stored within a nearby barn – its two doors were swung wide open. There was a handsome, horse-like creature hooked to a fence near the barn, and a tall, sun bronzed elderly man was working to set the basics of what looked like a saddle in place on top of the horse.

Chakotay decided to think of the beast as a horse because that was the animal he felt that it most resembled. The creature was the right size, though its snout was much shorter than the Earth equivalent. The animal also had long dark black hair on its coat, an odd smell about it, and very stout, very muscular legs indicating that it could carry several riders at a time or an equivalent load of supplies.

He adjusted his shirt to make certain it was tucked in properly and tipped the brim of his hat upwards before approaching the stranger. The gray-haired, mostly bald man glanced up at him as he walked up the dirt path toward the fence but chose to say nothing at first.

"Hello," said _Voyager_'s first officer, using a friendly tone of voice. "My name is Chakotay. I'm a little bit lost and was hoping someone could answer a few questions for me."

The man's eyes met his and he seemed to be sizing the newcomer up for a minute or so. "Are you looking for a job?" he asked finally.

"Depends," replied Chakotay casually. "I'm not as young as I used to be. A little more pay and less hard work would go a long way towards tempting a man such as me back toward full-time employment."

The man shrugged. "You're a big strapping fellow already, but don't get the idea that you won't put on a few more pounds working in my fields," he observed, slapping the horse-like creature on its backside and then bowing his head deeply to Chakotay. "My name is Joseth Addersbay," he said with respect as Chakotay bowed in response.

"It is an honor to meet you Joseth."

Adderbay paused for a moment. "Did you happen to pass a town on your way up here?" he asked curiously.

Chakotay remembered briefly the small village in the distance that he had observed from the hilltop view at his beam down site. "Yes, I did in fact," he stated truthfully.

"Well your first job is to take old Beater here and go down to that town and get me a couple of sacks of fresh water… if you can do that promptly then you're hired," he said, handing Chakotay a small cloth sack full of coins that clinked together. "My well has been a bit dry lately, so I've had to bring a little extra fresh water in from town… to help with the cooking and drinking. I could also use a few boxes of dried brakk leaves, if there's any money left. Buy all the water you can, and use the leftover change – if there is any - for the brakk."

Joseth watched him heft the bag of coins. "You're very trusting," commented Chakotay.

The farmer chuckled idly. "There aren't a lot of places for strangers to get work around here," he pointed out. "Most of the good jobs in town are always filled; there are very few openings these days for anything other than chopping wood or hauling heavy things this way and that. So if you want to label yourself a thief in this district over a few measly brakkas and old Beater the workhorse here, then you go right ahead. Otherwise get me some fresh water and we'll break bread tonight and discuss who you are and where you came from."

Chakotay shrugged. "My past is not a long story, really… and it's also quite boring."

Addersbay smiled, revealing at least two missing teeth. "I find that difficult to believe," he decided. "You're not as isolated and hidden from view as you think you are when you're walking through my crops. I saw you using the technology… there's no reason to try and hide it from me. Bring out that fancy device of yours so that I can take a closer look at it?"

Chakotay wanted to curse, but didn't. "Technology?" he asked, trying to plead innocence.

"No nonsense please, I'm not that gullible," Joseth said wryly. "I may live out here on the plains but I make it into the bigger towns now and then. I've gone to the merchant meetings and purchased goods from the ships that come from the sky, so I know what technology is and what it can do." He held out his hand. "Let's have a look at your device there."

Chakotay sighed with resignation and pulled out his tricorder. He flipped open the device and let it run for a minute… let all of its colorful lights and electronic whirring delight his new friend. Joseth took the device and studied its small computer screen in wonder, even though he was unable to read and interpret the data. "By gosh that is really _something_," he decided after studying the device for a few minutes, then handing it back. "It's so _small_… I didn't think even the Yukshaan had anything that sophisticated. What does it do?"

"It's a device that allows me to find my way around strange environments…" Chakotay wasn't quite certain how to describe all the things the device could do but he did his best. "It can detect life forms, serve as a direction finder and even analyze the chemical and elemental composition of the surrounding rocks and plants that it scans. It is a very useful tool when one is walking on strange ground."

"I'll just bet it is. So, are you going to go and get my water for me?"

Chakotay nodded. "I'll be back soon," he promised, glancing curiously at Beater. The animal made a sharp bark-like noise instead of the whinny that he expected. "First I may need a quick lesson or two… I've done some riding in my day but I was never the best at this."

Joseth laughed heartily. "You _must _be a long way from home," he mused thoughtfully, "if you don't even know how to ride. Here," he suggested, grabbing the horse by the secured collar around its neck to keep the animal steady. "You put your left foot in the stirrup and then swing yourself up into the saddle. Next you pick up the reigns and hold them tightly…"

* * *

The _Voyager_ first officer learned a few lessons that day, one of which was that an impatient animal didn't become less impatient once it was burdened with half a dozen large skins of fresh water. He ran Joseth's errands for him and then returned with old Beater – who had been aptly named as things turned out. The smell from the beast tended to attract lots of bugs, and Chakotay was slapped across the neck and shoulders many times that afternoon by the creature's long whip-like tail. 

Joseth was cooking a late lunch when he returned, and Chakotay quickly tied Beater to the nearest fence post and then lifted the water skins off of the horse. He slung them over the fence for temporary storage, unloading the sack with the rest of his purchases last. The pleasant aroma of cooking food reminded Chakotay that he was getting hungry… he had decided to pass on Neelix's leola root surprise earlier and was now paying the price for skipping breakfast.

Chakotay tossed the cloth sack and the remainder of the coins inside of it onto the sturdy, wooden table in Joseth's neatly furbished kitchen. Addersbay waved him inside and offered him a seat, promptly serving him a mug of some sort of chilled ale that tasted really great in the afternoon heat. "The benefits of _refrigeration_," pointed out Joseth as he flashed Chakotay a wide smile. "I have hidden technology too, you see."

"No one is more pleased that you embrace at least some technology than I am," the Starship officer said as he took another sip of the ice cold ale. He nodded toward the coin sack. "The extra money is courtesy of Mareth the shopkeeper. She said you've done plenty of favors for her over the past winter so she's not charging you for this order." He set the box of brakk leaves on the table next to the money, his smile more than a little amused. "This friend of yours also mentioned that she's single, and I noticed she's young and very attractive."

"Oh you noticed that, did you?" Joseth cackled with glee. "Just because I'm old and alone doesn't mean that everyone has to be." He flipped what looked like a large omelet in his frying pan and chopped it cleanly in half. Placing one side of its contents on a clean plate and the rest on a second, he handed the first plate enthusiastically to Chakotay. Then he set the pan on the counter and joined his new friend at the table to eat a quick afternoon meal.

They ate in silence for a few moments, each sizing the other up. "This is quite good," said Chakotay finally, anxious to continue their conversation.

"You _look_ like you're Yukshaan, but the dialect in your voice isn't quite right," pointed out Joseth. They were eating with what looked like thin chopsticks except there were three of them. He pointed one of them at Chakotay. "In fact," he continued, "you don't have any dialect at all, from what I can determine from my brief conversations with you."

Chakotay responded by reaching into the pocket of his shirt and removing his Comm-badge. He set the gold plated communicator on the table and chuckled. "Technically, I don't even speak your language," he said. "I am not Yukshaan or any of the other races that live in this region. My people are explorers from a star system populated by humans. We stumbled across your star systems mostly by chance, while investigating a nearby incident."

Joseth touched the gold surface of the Comm-badge curiously. "So this thing helps you speak my language?"

"Yes. It has a universal translator built into it and accesses a compressed database that constantly adapts and updates itself based on the various races my people encounter. If we meet a new species with radically different language practices, it can take some time before the translation algorithms adapt. Most planets, however, are populated by species that speak offshoots of or derivatives of languages from other more common root languages."

Joseth finished a bite of food. "So where are your own people from?" he asked curiously. "How far have you traveled to find us?"

"Farther than we intended actually," Chakotay pointed out, deciding to be a bit vague on that particular issue. "Suffice it to say we have journeyed far and explored much more space than we had originally intended to. However, my people discovered debris from some highly advanced vessels in this region that are normally populated by a very hostile species. They appear to have been destroyed by someone or something even more powerful about a year ago."

Addersbay thought the matter over. "Hostiles flying around our interstellar neighborhood, eh?" He pushed his plate in, took a deep breath, and wiped his mouth with a napkin. He refilled both his mug and Chakotay's from a pitcher. "And you say this destruction happened about a year ago, hmm?" Shaking his head he sighed heavily. "That's about the time we first started noticing trouble around here… big trouble that continues to grow worse every day."

Chakotay watched him curiously. "Violence?"

"You could say that… more like a build-up to violence, actually." Joseth watched his visitor with a curious expression. "How do I know that _you're _not part of the hostiles that you're warning me about?" He rolled out a flat piece of paper and sprinkled some of the dried brakk onto it. Working quickly he rolled the paper into a tight, cylindrical cigarette shape and lit one end. Puffing on the makeshift cigar, Addersbay continued to watch carefully as he gauged Chakotay's reaction to his question.

"You can't know for certain," was the immediate response. Chakotay kept his emotions in check and his tone professional. "You have to use your instincts, along with a bit of common sense. The trouble I spoke of began about a year ago, and I didn't show up until today. I came to you freely, and have been completely honest about my intentions. I have hid nothing of my identity or technology from you once you had noticed I was different and began to ask questions." He leaned forward. "My people have laws about interfering in the culture of others who do not know anything about space travel. But your people already _know_ about advanced civilizations and space travel, so if there's something troubling your people you should talk to me. Perhaps there is something we can do about it."

"How many of you are there?"

"One ship with a crew of about one hundred and fifty."

Joseth laughed, a bit too sharply and betraying more anxiety than he had intended to. "I'm sorry," he said apologetically, "but one ship against the evil that is growing among my people quite simply doesn't sound like it will be enough. The Yukshaan alone have dozens of interstellar military ships… even if you have a very powerful vessel it couldn't possibly prevail."

Again he was testing both Chakotay's character and his intentions. "Most disputes can be resolved diplomatically," the first officer pointed out. "Violence should always be a last resort… my people carry weapons for defensive purposes only. We do not make it a habit of interfering with or forcing our influence on other cultures."

Joseth continued leisurely puffing on his cigar. "What kind of trouble has upset my people?"

"I don't know yet." Again the _Voyager_ crewman replied as honestly and sincerely as he could. "It would help if I knew more about your people… so far we've been able to determine that there are seven populated planets scattered throughout five separate star systems – all are located in or around this sector. Several of the larger governments appear to have starships with faster than light capability, and they have also set up small colonies here and there on a few 'L' and 'M' class moons. We also detected plenty of civilian sub-space communications traffic, with a great deal of encrypted, military transmissions hidden among them."

"Your starship obviously has sophisticated detection capabilities just like that small scanning device that you showed me." Joseth puffed and sent a few smoke rings floating high above the table. "Would you like to smoke some of the brakk leaves?" he asked. "I can roll you a cigar…"

"No thanks," replied Chakotay with a slow smile. "So far, just smelling it has been bad enough." He laughed loudly then and Joseth chuckled right along with him. "I didn't want to offend such an excellent host."

"You haven't offended me… and my instincts tell me you're a good lad." Joseth tapped the end of his cigar and a few burned ashes dropped onto the surface of his emptied plate. "What specifically are you looking for?"

Chakotay nodded. "I need details on your people, your system of government, along with as much as you can tell me regarding changes that have surfaced recently… particularly those that are destabilizing your society. My people are still trying to find out what attracted hostile enemies to this region in the first place and – more importantly – whether or not the answer to that occurrence is related to the same force that succeeded in destroying them."

Joseth took a sip from his mug and shrugged. "For the most part we're a very religious people," he said softly. "We all spring from the same roots, even though our various cultures have explored space at one time or another and now inhabit seven different planets. Most of the settlements – like this one – have minimal technology at their disposal, so we grow food and sew clothing and produce products that we can trade with the larger governments. We trade our products in exchange for the technology we need to keep growing and producing goods and services." He used the plate to stub out the remainder of his cigar. "The three major cultures that live on the planets you mentioned are Yukshaan, Rafali, and Stefe'en. I myself am technically a member of the Stefe'en, although I seldom make it to church these days."

Chakotay was intrigued. "But you're all biologically the same race?"

Addersbay nodded. "Yes sir. That we are. All differences based on where people live are now cultural, political, and – a vast majority of the time – mostly religious. Everyone practices slightly different politics and has their own version of the father Creator. The more largely populated Yukshaan and Stefe'en home worlds have populations on multiple continents that are split into an even more confusing variety of offshoot nations. Whether we're separated by geographical location, district, or sovereign nation state you can bet that my people have a very diverse variety of beliefs. Until recently, we all got along with each other… for the most part."

"Oh?" It was a simple response, designed to keep Joseth talking and it worked.

"That's right. Yukshaan and Stefe'en are military superpowers… they've gone at it and warred with each other in the past, but that was very long ago in our history. To our great credit, we've learned from our mistakes over the years – mostly that wars generally leave borders unchanged and a lot of people dead. For the most part we've all matured over the years and learned tolerance towards one another. Our two nations have even cooperated on several joint ventures, like those moon colonies you mentioned a few minutes ago. The Rafalians, on the other hand, have always been isolationist and warlike. Both their government and the will of its people are driven by fierce, ideological religious beliefs. They have a saying in their holy texts that '_those who oppose ba'al must die, and those who live under ba'al will be rewarded and dwell eternally in a joyous heaven'_."

Chakotay glanced at the Comm-badge still lying on the table and the single word that it had been unable to translate correctly. "_Ba'al_?" he asked curiously. "My translation device rendered your word for god using a term in my own people's language."

Addersbay seemed amused by his confusion. "It's a bit of an unsolved mystery for us too," he pointed out. "The saying can be translated – and often times interpreted – many different ways, but two are the most generally accepted. The first, most widely accepted interpretation of their great prophet states that '_those who oppose peace must die, and those who live in peace will be rewarded and dwell eternally in a joyous heaven_'."

Chakotay found himself understanding a bit more… some things, regrettably, never changed no matter where one ended up traveling in the galaxy. "The other version obviously refers to your Creator," he guessed.

"That's right. The second version, deeply rooted in Rafali culture, translates as '_those who oppose the Creator must die, and those who live under the Creator will be rewarded and dwell eternally in joyous heaven_'."

"My own people have been involved in similar conflicts during our long history," observed _Voyager_'s first officer. "I would imagine that those of your people who subscribe to the second interpretation no doubt use it to justify their violence against others."

"That's right," nodded Joseth. "The Rafalians have spread war and terror wherever they have traveled… only the superior military might of the Yukshaan and the Stefe'en has kept them in check over the years and prevented them from turning all seven of our planets into one huge battle ground. Their home world's government does do some business with the other planetary governments, but their leaders are much more calculated in their dealings. They use both finances and underhanded tactics to seek to expand their influence and culture."

"So they want to be a major player and not just one of the group…?"

"Exactly. A year ago everything changed… suddenly the Rafalians were able to capture any vessel they targeted seemingly at will. They now possess a great deal of the knowledge and advanced weaponry of the other two governments. I don't know how much… no one does but the Rafali leadership. I do know that they have discovered some new strategy that is allowing them to steal military secrets from others. They now have the means to force their culture on others, and if we do not accept the Creator they worship as god and the words of his prophet, they will no doubt use their newfound technology to kill us all. Thus you now know why there is so much growing concern amongst _all_ of my people, and throughout _all_ of our great nations."

Chakotay drained the last of the ale from his mug and set it firmly on the wooden table top. "Have the Rafalians used any of this captured military technology against its neighbors yet?"

Addersbay shook his head. "Not yet, but it has only been a year." He snorted and shook his head. "So you can see why I might be a little bit doubtful as to how one more ship will do any good."

"You might be surprised, Joseth." Chakotay stood and put a hand on the man's shoulder. "I thank you sincerely for your conversation, food, and hospitality. I need to check in with my people shortly and let them know what I've found out, but I'd like to stay on for a while and help you out… we can chat some more and I'll learn more about what's happening on your worlds while my people continue their own investigation."

"The Rafali Prime Magnate would order his people to shoot at yours on sight… you are outsiders and would thus spread different, evil ways amongst his population. I cannot speak for the Yukshaan, but I think that my people – the Stefe'en – would at least be willing to hear your view of things, especially if you voluntarily share information that we lack."

"I'll know more after I check in with my Captain," noted Chakotay. "First we have to establish just what has changed… why the Rafali are so suddenly able to shift the balance of power. Once we know that, we can begin to come up with options."

Joseth sighed. "My people are farmers, not soldiers," he declared sincerely. "The idea of taking up arms against an enemy force is bad enough, but the Rafalians have obtained weapons of great destruction now – devices capable of blasting entire countries into oblivion from a single ship orbiting its target. Never in their history have they shown maturity as a society or demonstrated that they have the restraint to use this type of power for defensive purposes. It is one of the reasons I do not go to church any more… if there really were a father Creator who cared about all living things, he would most certainly _not_ give the Rafali access to sophisticated, modern weaponry."

"Believe me, Joseth, I understand this pattern of violence all too well." Chakotay picked up his Comm-badge. "If you allow me to stay with you for awhile, I will begin making some inquiries to see just how much aid my people can offer yours."

"You are welcome to stay with me as long as you like," Joseth Addersbay said warmly. "I can use the help around my farm, _and_ the conversation has definitely been interesting." He winked mischievously at his new friend. "Perhaps I will invite the lovely Mareth over to join us for dinner tomorrow."

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Rafali Home World, Stardate 54943.8:

* * *

Villip Ruksin entered the Temple of the People for evening services, immediately noticing the unusually excited whispers and chatter as it was exchanged back and forth between the members of the Congregation. They bowed with respect as he passed, for a Governor of The People's City was always respected with all due honor. He took his usual seat in the front pew and listened more intently than usual to the elder priest's sermon, noting that the words 'wicked' and 'enemies' were being used far too often these days. 

Much of this type of religious rhetoric was quite simply out of Villip's hands, even though he often felt the need to speak up more often himself at recent city meetings. Something had happened that had electrified his people, and Villip believed that The People's Most Revered Prime Magnate was at the heart of it all. Derryn Akseth was a tall, commanding man with graying hair and an imposing stature… he stood behind the elder priest throughout the entire sermon, making certain that he nodded where and when it was appropriate to support the words being spoken. The Prime Magnate was their central, most respected spiritual leader and people from far away lands regularly made the journey to the Capitol City just to touch his hand and receive his blessing.

"Those who oppose the Father Creator must meet thy doom," said the priest. "We either live according to his laws – as set forth so long ago in our sacred texts – or we do not. There is no room for gray area in terms of obedience, and thus the nation states of Yukshaan and Stefe'en will be held accountable for their corrupt ways… if not by us then by the Father himself. You have all heard about our recent military victories, and those are but the _first _of many more to come in the days ahead. Have faith and obey scripture."

The elder priest stepped back and bowed respectfully to the crowd, his sermon for the evening concluded. Behind him, Derryn Akseth rose from his seat near the altar of the Father Creator and applauded. The crowd quickly followed the Prime Magnate's lead, and for several long moments the ovation throughout the temple was thunderous. Villip made certain that he applauded as enthusiastically as everyone else, since – as Governor of the capitol city – he was a very public figure and as such always subject to the most intense scrutiny.

The Altar of the Father Creator was a tall pedestal made of dark wood. At its peak sat the _Enumalis_, a breathtaking, twenty-four inch diameter multi-faceted crystal ball of finely polished glass. In the surrounding candle light, parts of it reflected rainbow-hued colors from the visible spectrum, while most of it simply sparkled brilliantly as though its outer surface were covered with finely polished gemstones. The Enumalis was truly magnificent to behold; a creation from countless years before that had ever since been dedicated as _the_ lasting symbol of obedience to their supreme deity. No one knew what had inspired its artist, only that his glittering, wondrous creation had been the icon representing the Rafali faith and belief system ever since.

Many cities had constructed significantly less impressive copies of it for their own churches, since not everyone could regularly journey to the capitol city and attend church on significant holidays. And though many had tried over the years, no artist since had even come close to spinning glass as beautifully as the original creator of the Enumalis. Outsiders often allowed the city dwellers to see it through new eyes again… the fabulous work of art had been around for so long that many in the city now took the fabulous display for granted. That ancient artist and philosopher was known simply as 'the Prophet' in all texts… his time among the Rafali people had been so long ago that his name was no longer known.

Villip Ruksin dismissed his doubts about recent decisions he had no control over, and sat patiently in his seat as the rest of the people began filing out of the church. Normally, he would be the last to leave, pausing to shake hands and speak casually with the citizens of his province.

_But tonight was not a normal evening._

"Good evening to you eminence," Villip said respectfully to the Prime Magnate as Derryn Akseth joined him.

"Good evening to you as well, Villip." Akseth had a commanding presence, and his long white robes swirled around his tall, muscular figure as he descended from the Altar to join the city Governor.

"I find myself curious at your request that I remain behind tonight," decided the Governor after pausing briefly. "You have spread your presence and spiritual word throughout all of Rafali… I don't understand why a minor politician such as I – even the Governor of our Capitol City – would interest you."

Derryn smiled, and his eyes twinkled with unbridled enthusiasm as he did so. "I have something to share with you," he said mysteriously, "something that must remain a secret between us for the time being."

"Really," Villip responded with growing curiosity. "Why me?"

"Why not you?" countered the Prime Magnate. "You are a respected member of the community, who governs Damoklis and our people with an integrity that is unmatched by most politicians. As leader of our capitol, I must have your support if our Father Creator's plans are to be achieved in a timely manner."

Governor Ruksin became confused. "What are you talking about?" he asked, his expression understandably quite puzzled.

The Prime Magnate threw his arms wide and his face lit up with unchecked emotion. "The Father Creator has _revealed_ himself to me…" he said. "…_to me!_ He has told me his plan, and wishes to lead our people to victory over our enemies and create a new Paradise that will last forever."

Although he had a well disciplined mind, the Governor was caught off guard by the words. "The Father Creator has revealed himself…" he repeated, trailing off as he tried to understand why Derryn would say something so ridiculous.

_As things turned out, it wasn't as ridiculous as things at first seemed._

"Behold!" Derryn Akseth cried, spinning back toward the Altar of The People and dropping to his knees. "Father Creator, I await your counsel and hope that you will join me in welcoming a new ally into our fold. Together, the Governor and I will work toward following the path you set forth for us as you lead us toward promised Paradise."

The Enumalis the top of the Altar suddenly began to glow with an inner light. At first the emanations were golden bright, but quickly changed to a soft, sickly looking green glow that pulsed slowly like the soft beating of a heart. "_You have done well_," a voice that seemed to come out of nowhere – but could only have come from the Altar – said unexpectedly. "_You continue to work as my trusted right arm in my efforts to provide for my people_."

"What in the name of…" Villip took a step backwards, and – visibly shaken – he stared in shock at the Altar. "What have you done, my eminence?"

"I have not _done_ anything," said Derryn, a distinct note of disapproval evident in his voice. "The Father Creator has chosen to reveal himself to me, since our people have endlessly been oppressed over the centuries by both the Yukshaan and the Steffe'en. He has decided to intervene on our behalf and make certain that we keep holy his sacred beliefs as we lead our people into a new age. Both you and I will live to see the day that our enemies serve us, as opposed to the reverse."

The mysterious voice from the Altar spoke a second time. "_The Yukshaan and the Steffe'en have a choice… they can join us as servants of the Rafali or perish in the flames of the underworld. I will not make that decision for them; each must evaluate our cause and choose to join us or choose to die_."

"Who are you?" asked Villip firmly.

"_Do not commit blasphemy while standing in the Temple of the People_," responded the voice angrily. "_I am the Father Creator… watch_."

A dozen meters in front of the Altar, a strange, glowing humanoid figure began to take shape. The eerie green glow gradually coalesced and then faded, leaving behind the tall, confident figure of a white robed Rafalian male. The man looked to be about sixty or so seasons old, and he smiled through his long gray beard as he walked over to stand next to the Governor and the Prime Magnate. Villip watched with continued shock and disbelief as the man who had appeared out of nowhere reached out to touch him on the shoulder. He jumped slightly – as though jolted by electric current – and knew that no matter how well he tried to compose himself, his eyes were opened wide with uncontrolled fear.

"This… this is unparalleled…" the Governor started to say.

"I _do not walk among you often, and for now everyone else must not know of my presence_," said the strange newcomer. His lips curled in a charismatic smile. "_After we have put my plans for a new future for your people into motion, then there will be time for you to… worship me. For now, all that is required is simple obedience. Obey the commands of your Father Creator and all will go well for you. Disobey and you shall perish in a fiery demise as surely as our enemies…_"

Derryn also put a hand on Villip's other shoulder. "The three of us will lead the Rafali people into a new age of enlightenment," he said softly. "It may take some time, but you will learn to accept this… the Father Creator has returned to help us overthrow our enemies. All of them."

"_Plans are already in motion_," said the strange newcomer. "_Your military has captured many ships, and we are ready to move against our enemies. With my divine influence to aid you, your people cannot be stopped_."

Villip Ruskin did not know what stood before him in the image of a fellow Rafalian, claiming to be their God. But he did suspect that nothing positive would come of it.

* * *

_The Vryke worked carefully, cautiously, and continued to speak provocatively using promises of prosperity as a lure. All the while it watched the Damoklis Governor's reaction to its unexpected presence with growing suspicion. This particular Rafalian was dangerous… he did not have the same unbridled ambition and thirst for power that the Prime Magnate possessed in abundance. Fortunately the Vryke had chosen to approach Derryn Akseth first, in secret, and had been whispering lies to him for almost three Rafali seasons. It would keep careful watch on the Governor and his actions, for Ruksin was totally unaware that the creature was capable of observing him wherever he went, at any time of day._

_Upon first arriving in the Delta Quadrant the creature had already known that the populated region of space was nearby. That was why it had chosen this particular destination… it was determined to use misdirection and subterfuge on this latest attempt at conquest – hopefully this would correct the mistakes it had made in the recent past. The Borg scout ship that had passed by and then turned unpredictably for a closer inspection had startled it, since the Vryke hadn't expected anything humanoid to be able to discern its presence while floating between the stars. But the Borg obviously could detect it, and the scout ship had quickly reported in to its Collective. Almost immediately, trans-warp conduits had opened and the scout ship had been joined by three of the larger, cube ships in an attempt to capture this newfound entity._

_The mere presence of the Borg had intimidated the Vyrke… they worked together in such a precise and meticulous fashion, with drones pausing only long enough to regenerate. Anything the Vryke had done – any technology it took control of – had immediately been detected and shut down. The creature quickly discovered that the Borg cared about and protected their functional 'Collective' most of all, and anything that threatened it was immediately labeled an aggressive enemy. Frustrated and angry that it was again failing to convince any of the life forms it encountered to obey it, the creature had finally gave up its efforts to control the Borg and focused instead on disrupting all four of their ships. It became furious and promptly began killing off drones, one at a time and occasionally in bunches. It didn't really discriminate… it simply wanted to hurt them._

_It had taken advantage of the massive Borg power supplies and reproduced into two, then four entities. After assuming complete control of all four vessels, the Vryke used its expanded abilities to wreak complete havoc with the electronic systems. The Vryke had even been able to force its control on individual drones, since they were a combination of biological matter and technology. The drones had resisted with every tactical measure at their disposal, and their unique ability to cooperate and work together had forced the Vryke to shut down the vinculum systems on each ship. _

_Doing so immediately terminated the drones' ability to communicate with each other, and the Vryke had used the lapse in the Borg defenses to reinforce its control over each vessel's primary computer systems. Unfortunately the Borg technology was designed to be foolproof, and its core systems were hard wired to activate an automatic self-destruct when disconnected from the central Collective for any prolonged length of time. Each ship promptly did so, exploded in a ball of anti-matter fire, and this latest encounter once again left the Vryke alone in space with time to evaluate its tactics and repeated, continuing failures. _

_Thus, the frustrated entity had returned to its primary mission of studying the people living in this sector of space. Among them, it found a tentative, unstable political balance that it was confident it could slowly begin to manipulate. Rather than simply trying to seize the nearest space vessels as it had in the past, the Vryke and its three new counterparts had instead drifted closer to the Rafali home world. Observing its population for a few months, the Vryke had noticed that the people of this planet carried among them a religious fervor that the larger, more stable governments in the surrounding star systems lacked. The 'persecution complex' of the Rafali people was a perfect tool that the Vryke felt would be useful, since it had big plans for all of the worlds in this particular star sector. It wanted to rule them _all

_Cultivating dissent was not difficult, since the Rafali were a poorer society and lacked many of the resources that the other planets held in abundance. Those who fervently believed in a higher power were also proving to be much easier for it to manipulate, since their unconditional faith left them vulnerable to this new, false prophet that quietly hid in the background and whispered lies to their Prime Magnate. To hide its true intentions, the Vryke made certain that it was able to deliver on its initial promises. It had done so by continuing to make use of its reproductive capabilities and created additional copies of itself – copies that were totally under its control and proving to be quite useful._

_Although it remained a bodiless entity of pure energy, the Vryke was evolving and was no longer a simple 'one celled' organism. It had split itself into two, then four, then eight, and finally sixteen separate entities. Creating new copies of itself consumed a lot of energy, and thus its ability to continue to expand required both time and a nearby star. The Rafali home world orbited a sun that was _perfect_ for its requirements, and it had also allowed the creature access to the world's most trusted religious leader - its Prime Magnate. Of the three major governments in the region, the Rafali were by far the most emotional and unstable… thus the Vryke was confident that it could first provoke and then lead them in a holy war against their neighbors._

_It was definitely helpful that the Prime Magnate had access to powerful friends in the military, and that was the major reason why the Vryke had approached Derryn Akseth first. Using Akseth's connections, the two of them had arranged for several 'diplomatic' meetings with representatives from the Yukshaan and Stefe'en home worlds. All the Prime Magnate had been required to do was step aboard a starship from each home world – the Vryke had done the rest. Drawing the starships of the two governments close to the planet was all that was required; after that they were seized in the same manner that the creature had temporarily taken control of both _Enterprise_ and _Columbia

_As it reproduced, the Vryke was becoming the equivalent of a biological multi-celled organism. Some of the copies remained identical… they had the same properties and capabilities as the original. Others, however, were proving to be much more interesting. The Vryke was reproducing as an energy creature in a manner very similar to the process of a developing human embryo. Thus its new copies – like biological cells – were gradually evolving into other parts of its growing 'body'… the biological equivalent of an unborn child generating new eye, bone, or skin tissue._

_The original creature rested safely within the large, crystal Enumalis. It had specifically chosen the crystalline sphere as the perfect hiding place, but even so it kept one of the newer copies of itself hovering close by after discovering the new entity had the capability to transform itself temporarily into a solid, physical form. At last the Vryke had the ability to manipulate more than the electronic systems around it… at last_ _it could move amongst the lower life forms around it and interact with them! It was currently completing the final stage of its latest reproductive cycle, after which there would be thirty-two of the creatures roaming the area._

_Naturally the Vryke couldn't wait to discover what new traits its newer, expanded 'body' would have available for use. Capabilities that had lain dormant during the eternity it had spent waiting at Questar were re-emerging again, and it knew that if it acted quickly enough the local population would be completely caught up in its treachery. Its stolen Starfleet knowledge continued to prove very useful, allowing the Vryke to deploy four of the captured Yukshaan and Stefe'en starships in a defensive array at the edge of the Rafali star system. Normally the creature would not have been able to keep in contact with other copies of itself across so great a distance, but its newfound ability to probe into sub-space allowed it to very easily communicate back and forth with the other members of its 'body'._

Very soon now, nothing short of a true divine miracle would be able to stop it.


	7. Bread Crumbs Along The Trail

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter VI: Bread Crumbs Along The Trail... **

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Near the Borg debris field, Stardate 54944.2:

* * *

Captain Kathryn Janeway took a sip from her favorite coffee mug and then set it gently on the conference table in front of her. To her left sat Seven of Nine, Commander Data, and Tom Paris. To her right sat the Doctor, a very pregnant B'Elanna Torres, Lt. Tuvok and Ensign Harry Kim. Several data pads also lay on the table in front of the Captain, and she casually picked one up and studied the information stored on it curiously for a moment. 

"Let me get this straight," she began with more than a little dismay. "The Borg scout vessel was investigating some sort of non-corporeal life form it detected in the area… a _sentient_ life form composed of some sort of complex combination of different types of electromagnetic radiation?"

Commander Data nodded. "That is correct," he said. "We were able to recover several key data nodes from the wreckage, and it is quite clear that the Borg felt that they had discovered a new kind of species without physical form." His gaze shifted to Seven of Nine.

"Agreed," the blonde female stated in a tone as unflappable as the android's. "The drones held no false hopes of assimilating this kind of unknown entity, but wanted to make certain that it presented no danger to them. Instead, the Collective has now catalogued it as dangerous and added it to their list of interstellar phenomena to avoid."

Janeway threw up her arms with complete astonishment. "So what happened?"

Seven shrugged. "Apparently the Borg discovered, during their initial survey, that this life form was not only sentient but also extremely hostile. They called for reinforcements and somehow the life form was able to incapacitate all four ships."

The Captain raised an eyebrow. "Define incapacitated," she requested.

It was Seven's turn to look expectantly at Tuvok. "Apparently the entity can use its bodiless state to take control of electronic computer systems. It was able to interfere with both drone and shipboard activity on all four Borg vessels, eventually severing their vinculum communications link to the central Collective."

Janeway took another sip of coffee before responding. "I don't see the Queen liking that development at all," she observed with a shake of her head. "So that explains why the Collective considered those ships to be lost and also why they subsequently self destructed." She paused for a moment, thinking the matter over thoroughly. "Did the information you recovered also give you any ideas as to just _what_ this mysterious entity was, or _where_ it planned to go next?"

Tuvok responded by sliding another pad across the table and toward the Captain. "Not only were we able to identify the creature, but there is already a record of it on file in _Voyager_'s database."

Janeway studied the pad thoroughly, reading out loud as she hastily reviewed its contents. "Stardate 5221, Captain James T. Kirk and the _Enterprise_ were exploring the 'Perseus External' arm of the Milky Way. Along the way they were unexpectedly grabbed by an invisible gravity well and pulled into an emergency orbit around Questar M-17." She nodded firmly. "I've heard this story before," she mused thoughtfully. "They found an ancient, alien starship that had also been trapped there. Heavy sources of gravity tend to absorb every type of electromagnetic radiation in the area around them… hence the appearance of invisibility. We've certainly encountered our share of those over the years."

"In those days starship sensors were not as sophisticated as they are today. Additionally, they had a much more difficult time detecting the presence of gravitons," pointed out Tuvok. "_Voyager_'s database has a basic copy of the creature's electromagnetic signature on file, but that is all. The entity temporarily held complete control of the _Enterprise_, and unfortunately during that time it used its access to key systems to erase a majority of its sensor scans. As a result of the encounter, recorded data of both the entity and the alien starship that it had been trapped aboard for over 300 million years was consequently lost."

Tom Paris' eyes widened. "300 _million_ years?" he gasped with astonishment.

"Indeed," replied Tuvok. "The Borg data we recovered on this creature very closely matches the sensor profile from the old _Enterprise_ records. The creature is ancient in the extreme, estimated at having survived for well over 300,000 millennia."

Janeway continued to read the data stream efficiently listed on the pad in her left hand. "So other than a basic, century old scan of this creature, the only record of its discovery at Questar was provided in the logs of the Captain and First Officer."

"Both the official and personal logs are quite detailed on this matter," acknowledged Data. "Science Officer Spock in particular recorded his strong regret at the loss of the alien starship before it could be fully explored. Its construction was apparently an impressive feat of engineering unequaled in their time. Unfortunately, the creature had survived aboard that ship and was extremely hostile towards the boarding party. Once aboard the _Enterprise_, it seized control of every major system and tried to force the crew to pilot their starship into the heart of the Alpha Quadrant. If the entity had succeeded in escaping from Questar, the negative impact of its subsequent actions on inhabited star systems would have been quite severe."

"Are you certain it's the _same_ creature?" Janeway asked curiously. "If so, how did it get here?"

Tuvok's expression remained impassive as always, even though it was quite clear to all who knew him that he was more than a little annoyed at the information they had so far uncovered. "Our sensors have detected a tiny wormhole in the area near the Borg debris field, linking the sector we are currently traveling through to the Alpha Quadrant." He raised an eyebrow and activated a computer display showing their computer model estimating the wormhole's trajectory. "From the severity of the graviton distortion, I would expect that the other end of this anomaly quite probably exits very near to the Questar M-17 dead star."

"Probably?"

"The sub-space tunnel connecting the exit points in both Quadrants is extremely unstable and has collapsed in at least three places," continued Tuvok. "I can therefore say with high probability that we are dealing with the same entity that was discovered at Questar… but it is not a certainty. However, this wormhole is showing signs of a temporal displacement very much like the anomaly we encountered approximately six years ago. This rupture reaches back through time nearly 100 years, placing its origin point shortly after the Questar entity's encounter with the _Enterprise_."

Janeway took a deep breath and then laughed with frustration. "_That_ certainly sounds familiar," she noted, rolling her eyes and glancing at the ceiling. "We were following coordinates provided to us by 'Q', and just _look_ at what we've happened to run across. Another small wormhole poking through _both_ time and space…"

"The Borg appear to have met up with the same life form as the Starfleet vessel mentioned in _Voyager_'s history records," Seven spoke up quickly. "The energy signature stored in the data nodes precisely matches the record of the entity from that encounter. This version, however, appears to be larger and much more powerful. Like the alien starship on which it was trapped for so long, the creature apparently siphons off the energy it needs from radiation emitted by the interstellar objects surrounding it."

The Captain steepled the fingers of both hands together, setting them on the table in front of her. "You've all read a transcript of Commander Chakotay's report. Opinions?"

There was a brief pause as everyone present took a moment to think the matter over before responding.

Finally, Harry Kim chuckled. "A Rafali home world with limited space faring capabilities and an even poorer economy… then suddenly from seemingly out of the blue it has the ability to capture major military starships from its powerful neighbors?" The Ensign glanced at his friend Tom Paris. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out where this thing went after it finished with the Borg."

"Agreed Captain," stated Torres. She had been listening carefully, evaluating the possibilities offered by both theories and facts raised during the discussion. "That creature found a way to free itself by tunneling into the Delta Quadrant, so who knows what it will do next."

"According to our good Commander and his new friend, this sector's population is known as the Yukshaan Trade Coalition." Janeway glanced around at each of them in turn. "There are at least half a dozen heavily populated planets led by three major cultures, some of which have warp drive and some of whom have chosen to remain pre-industrial."

"But _all_ of which know about other planetary civilizations and space travel," observed Tuvok.

Janeway sighed heavily. "Of all the damned times _not_ to have Neelix around," she said with a deep frown before looking to Seven. "Are you still in sub-space contact with him?"

Seven nodded in reply. "Affirmative."

"Apprise him of our situation here," requested the Captain. "I am very interested in hearing his input on this matter. Even if we settle for simply _warning_ these people about the possible danger lurking among them, we're still on dangerous ground according to the Prime Directive. None of these civilizations have starships capable of exceeding warp four… that nasty little fact alone gives me the shivers. That creature could have a _disastrous_ impact on these people."

"They _do_ know about other races… aliens like us," pointed out Paris. "Chakotay's friend certainly spotted _him_ quickly enough."

"Yes they do Lieutenant. They appear to know just enough to introduce a lot of nasty _gray_ area into our decision making process on this matter."

Kim could not contain his curiosity. "So what's our next step?" he asked.

Janeway held up her hands and laughed. "It's time to seek additional counsel," she declared. "For once we're not out here alone and on our own in making this decision." She pointed a finger at Seven. "You contact Neelix and see what he thinks about this matter. I'm going to file a full report with Admiral Paris the next time Starfleet contacts us. Since Chakotay is still on his away mission, please submit your recommendations directly to me by 0900. After that, we'll compare notes and decide what actions – if any – we're allowed to take."

* * *

Alpha Quadrant, Starfleet HQ on Earth, Stardate 54944.8:

* * *

Ambassador Owen Paris listened closely to Captain Janeway's report. Behind him stood Lt. Reginald Barclay and Commander Pete Harkins, also anxious to hear the latest news from _Voyager_. There was a lot of data in the hastily transmitted, so Janeway did a majority of the talking for the first part of the precious eleven minutes of two-way contact between the Alpha and Delta Quadrants. 

The static from the transmission, as relayed by Starfleet's Midas Array, was virtually non-existent for a change… proof that Barclay's 'Pathfinder' technology continued to improve based on growing experience gained from each new transmission. Relaying a two-way conversation across 30,000 light years had once seemed impossible – now it was becoming as routine a process as using a replicator.

"I can definitely understand why you and your crew would like to offer your diplomatic services to these people," the Admiral said finally. "But I am also curious why you've decided to bring your former crew member into all this. What does Ambassador Neelix have to say?"

On the screen in front of them, Janeway smiled wanly. "_Neelix's Talaxian people have lived with the devastating after effects of brutal war and weapons of mass destruction as much as anyone in our own history. So he very strongly feels that _Voyager_ should not hesitate to use this opportunity to help the people of the Yukshaan Trade Coalition… Prime Directive be damned_."

Admiral Paris nodded. "Unfortunately it's never quite so easy a decision for us to make," he said with frustration. "You and I both answer to powerful people who often feel differently."

"_Isn't it?_" Janeway stood firmly in her ship's Astrometrics Lab, watching Paris' reaction on her own viewscreen. "_Obviously we've had more time to study the data than you have, but the Rafali have managed to capture entire starships in recent months. At least two of those were equipped with an arsenal of long range interplanetary missiles, each of which has an independent, automated guidance system and a very nasty anti-matter warhead. The people in this quadrant have always had shaky relations between their three major cultures even during the best of times, so the last thing they need right now is a holy war springing out at them unexpectedly from the shadows_."

"I understand your concern Captain, but I need time to study the data files that you've transmitted to us in greater detail before consulting with Starfleet Command. Since we only have eleven minutes each day, I also realize we've been intruding on your crews' personal time. But this… this decision is an important one. It could impact millions of lives in that star sector…"

"_My crew can handle the loss of a little personal time with their loved ones, Admiral_."

He smiled softly. "I know they can. I'll get back to you with a final decision on the matter during our next transmission tomorrow evening. Until then, I suggest you continue using shuttles and camouflaged first contact parties to gather as much information as you can about the history of these people. It would help immensely if we knew who the bad guys were and just how likely they are to use their stolen weaponry. It would also make things easier if we had a full tactical analysis of that creature and its capabilities."

"_I can get you information about the people and their customs… the creature is another matter entirely. We've seen no sign of it, even though we suspect it's hiding on one of the populated planets. Chakotay may know more soon, his next assignment is one of the Yukshaan planets in the Coalition's primary, central star system_."

The Admiral nodded with approval. "Keep on top of things Kathryn."

"_Acknowledged. In the meantime, I'm hoping _you_ manage to keep the Alpha Quadrant homestead safe for us… it doesn't sound as though the aftermath of the Dominion conflict has been any better than the war itself."_"

"We're managing. See you tomorrow."

"_Janeway out._"

The screen went dark and Admiral Paris leaned back in his seat, rubbing his fatigued eyes. "What do you gentlemen think?" he asked.

Pete Harkins didn't usually mince words, nor did he choose to do so on this occasion. "It's a tough situation sir, but I think that I'd intervene if I were in Janeway's place. That creature left the Borg with no alternative but to self destruct, so I doubt it has rosy plans for the population living right next door to their convoy." He shook his head. "4 billion lives… that's a lot of people to leave vulnerable to a proven hostile entity…"

Reg Barclay remained silent for a moment longer before finally speaking up. "What _Voyager_ really needs is more data on that electromagnetic life form," he decided. "Has Starfleet had any other contact with that particular type of life form?"

Admiral Paris sighed as he listened to the question. "Officially, Starfleet Intelligence would say 'no' if we asked them…" he concluded. "Off the record, however, that's not the full story on this matter… it seldom is."

Commander Harkins watched the Admiral's expression thoughtfully. "So what are you going to do sir?" he asked, genuinely curious as to their next move.

"Contact Starfleet Command at once," the Admiral decided. "File a formal request with our communications specialists, and have them find out where the _Enterprise-E_ is these days. Tell them Admiral Paris has an assignment for Captain Jean Luc Picard and wants to speak to him immediately."

"Aye, Admiral." Harkins and Barclay exchanged curious glances as they left the room.

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Rafali Home World, Stardate 54944.9:

* * *

_The Vryke's ability to reproduce continued to spiral out of its immediate control. With the basic foundation of a new, growing electromagnetic organism now firmly in place, it simply had to let nature take its course. Sixteen unique entities quickly became thirty-two, then sixty-four, then one hundred twenty-eight. The dawn of each new day on the Rafali home world brought more sunlight radiating downward, energy that the Vryke and its many copies continued to absorb and make use of. It was now doubling its size every six hours and the rate of increase continued to surpass all expectations._

_This tormented creature from another era found itself extremely curious as to what it would eventually become… having been trapped at Questar for so many millennia even it did not know what its true form was. But as the days continued to progress and one hundred twenty-eight became two hundred fifty-six, then five hundred twelve and then well over one thousand the creature knew that it had reached the point of no return._

_The Vryke was now more powerful than it ever could have imagined during the time spent in its lonely prison back in the Alpha Quadrant. As the days on the Rafali home world continued to pass its reproductive cycles accelerated even faster. Remaining bodiless was now only an option, which the entity deliberately chose for the time being since its non-physical state allowed it to release many of its new 'cells' out away from the planet and into open space, where they were able to absorb sunlight and continue the creature's exponential growth rate even during the Damoklis city's night time._

* * *

Governor Villip Ruksin gathered together the leaders of the Damoklis city security forces and made a quick inspection of his officers. His mood was not a pleasant one, and the growing concern on his face was quite obvious to anyone who knew him well. Ruksin was great at hiding emotions under normal circumstances, but something was happening here on Rafali Prime. He didn't know just what was transpiring, but events of late were quite literally making his skin crawl with a growing inner fear that he could not explain. 

The Prime Magnate had elevated himself high on the list of the Governor's list of priorities. Earlier today, without first consulting with civilian leadership, the Prime Magnate had chosen to recall two of the captured starships now under Rafali control. Very quickly, the new, Rafalian crews of both vessels had brought the captured Yukshaan crew members down to the capitol city and imprisoned them in the old, normally unused dungeons that were still located beneath the Temple of the People. They hadn't been used in years, and now suddenly they were quite popular again.

As though that weren't a controversial enough decision, Ruksin had been told that at least a half dozen of the warships' missiles were also being relocated to the area immediately surrounding the sacred Temple. Already two battalions of soldiers had massed around the large building at the heart of their city and were assembling the necessary heavy duty equipment that would be necessary to house and launch the weapons at a moment's notice. It was true that the city Legislature had been consulted prior to this particular part of Derryn Akseth's plan, but the Prime Magnate had chosen to approach them while the city Governor had conveniently been outside the city limits.

Tyleb Ekken was Ruksin's Chief of Security, and the tall, muscular dark-haired police officer had already sized up the situation before rousting out his troops after the normal daytime shifts had ended. It was now completely dark in the city, and he was not looking forward to a potential conflict with the Rafali military under any situation, much less an encounter this late at night. It was well known that the military had night vision equipment and his men did not.

"The soldiers of our nation who are stationed at the Temple will be loyal to the Prime Magnate first, Governor," Ekken cautioned Ruksin in a hushed whisper as they both stood outside the city's central Capitol building. "You must bear that in mind if you hope to negotiate a peaceful settlement with him."

They were carefully evaluating the options open to them, but Ruksin had already privately decided that there would be no bloodshed between his people on this particular night. "Don't worry my old friend," replied Villip firmly. "I am hoping to get an explanation, and perhaps a reversal of these recent, controversial decisions that have been made. It is not my intention to spill the blood of your men in a hopeless confrontation with our better armed milita."

"Just be prepared Governor… even a minor confrontation in this type of situation can quickly escalate into something much larger."

"I will do my job… please make certain that you and your men do yours."

Chief of Security Ekken nodded obediently and walked back onto the broad, wide open expanse of the well tended green lawn that served as the gateway to the city's central Capitol grounds. Behind them was the huge domed structure of the legislative building itself, now shrouded in dark shadows after the recent departure of the sun below the eastern horizon. A few lights still winked from some of the windows, denoting those who had chosen to work later into the evening. He signaled the leaders in charge of the huge group of security officers and they quickly crowded into small, tightly grouped formations that were normally reserved for riot situations.

With very little additional ceremony, the main body of the city's security force began its slow march through the streets, formally led by Governor Ruksin and Chief Tyleb Ekken. The neighborhoods were dimly lit by a few strategically placed street lamps, most of them towering high above the intersections. As they walked through the city, Ruksin noted that most of the soldiers thus far considered their mission to be a practice exercise… something required to keep them coordinated with the military, but nothing more. Ekken confided to him as they proceeded that he had misled them intentionally, since he did not want many of his newer, untrained recruits on edge in a potentially dangerous situation. If they were expecting trouble then they were more likely to react over-aggressively, and that could easily have dire consequences by turning a tense situation very quickly into a bloody one.

The Prime Magnate was waiting for them at the top of a large hill overlooking the Temple of the People. Under the bright, starlit sky the Temple looked surprisingly ominous this night, and upon closer inspection Governor Ruksin noticed that most of the bright, internal lighting that normally kept the building looking cheerful and fully lit throughout the night had not been turned on this particular evening. The Temple of the People looked darker and more sinister this night than at any other in recent memory.

Derryn Akseth paused with well disciplined patience as the Governor and the Security Chief ordered their assembled men – at least one hundred strong – to halt briefly. The uniformed group of police officers immediately broke ranks and began to mill about, smoke cigarettes, or sit down on the fresh green grass growing beneath the massive row of fruit trees on the hill. Many of them took the time to observe the throngs of military soldiers moving back and forth near the Temple, busily going about their duties as they worked even through the night.

"I can assure you Governor, that there is nothing untoward going on here for you to worry about," Akseth said calmly, but there was a definite hard edge to his voice that Ruksin did not like at all. It was a mixture of defiance and arrogance, and he didn't like it one bit.

"You have brought _foreign_ prisoners into the city without first consulting me or the Legislature you serve," replied Ruksin grimly. "And you have also transported down to the People's Temple their weapons of mass destruction. The last of the news I heard late this evening I had hoped was only a rumor, and so it was until I have now observed the truth of the matter with my own eyes." His gaze drifted spitefully toward the conical tips of the huge missiles peeking out from above the rearmost Temple walls. "Those warheads contain anti-matter, and our people do not have a great deal of experience with that type of unstable material. Do you have any idea as to what could happen to not only this city, but to most of this _continent_, if any of that unstable substance within those warheads touches the normal matter surrounding it for even one brief second?"

"The former crews of both Yukshaan vessels currently in orbit around our home world know all too well what can happen," said Akseth with a chuckle. "Thus several of their specialists from one of the ships have kindly _volunteered_ to help us with our project."

"I do not want weapons within my City," said the Governor bluntly. "Certainly not those weapons, and certainly not within the walls of the Temple of our People. You _dishonor_ the Father Creator by doing this…"

"The weapons are behind the rearmost walls," countered the Prime Magnate with a dark smile. "They have been placed on private land adjacent to my home, and the decision is not yours to make Governor. I have already spoken with the members of the Legislative Council earlier this afternoon – while you were busy touring the southern province – and they have agreed to my motion to strengthen our defenses here in the Capitol with our recently captured new weapons."

"_Why_ would you deliberately have ignored my counsel in this matter?" asked Ruksin curiously. "Would it not have been more prudent to wait until I returned so that we could discuss the matter more thoroughly? _What_ is your agenda here… why must every decision on this matter be rushed and immediately decided? _What_ is so important that it cannot wait or withstand a prolonged, impartial debate?"

For the first time in as long as Ruksin could remember, the Prime Magnate regarded the Governor with a look of complete scorn. "My plans for the future of our people are _none_ of your concern," he stated heatedly. "And you would be wise not to try and confront me at my own Temple when I have already followed proper procedure in this matter." Akseth glared at the Chief of Security. "Ekken, send your men home… if any changes are to be made regarding our new military policy, they will be done through official channels. Nothing will be solved here tonight."

"Official channels like the ones you used earlier this afternoon?" Ruksin's own anger was now seething and barely contained, but he was beginning to recognize that – at least for tonight – the Prime Magnate held the upper hand. He turned and nodded at Ekken to comply, and the Damoklis City Security Chief quickly and almost too eagerly began dismissing his men.

"All right troops… tonight's exercise has now concluded," announced Tyleb Ekken briskly. "Return to your homes, and thank you for coming out after normal hours for this practice exercise that we staged to support our new military presence here."

His attempt to conceal the growing tension between their Governor and Prime Magnate was only partially successful. Murmurs of suspicion and the beginning wisps of speculation and gossip could already be overheard from some of the departing officers, and Ekken held no false hopes that the rumors circulating within the soldiers stationed at the Temple would be any less intense. Major change was afoot, with both himself and the Governor caught squarely in the middle of it all. He himself had fully planned to remain behind to lend support to Ruksin, but noted with disappointment that both the Governor and Prime Magnate continued to stand at the top of the hill visiting in private. Both of them waved him away and thus, more than a little grudgingly, Tyleb Ekken turned and followed his officers back into the city.

The Prime Magnate again demonstrated his well-renowned patience by waiting until all of the officers had departed. He then placed his right arm comfortingly around Governor Ruksin's shoulders and steered him toward the crest of the hill overlooking the Temple below. "I have shared my biggest secret with you, and so far all you have done in return is to throw obstacles in my path," Akseth said bitterly. "I would think that you, Governor, would instead have offered me a bit more gratitude."

"I am still Governor of this City," declared Ruksin proudly. "Its safety and the well being of those who dwell within its boundaries are my primary concern."

"As I have said, you should _thank_ me Governor." The Prime Magnate's face clearly showed his growing anger… his patience was obviously fading fast.

"Why? You want me to thank you for turning the Legislative Council into your personal squad of puppets… for trying to do the same with me? For taking orders from a bodiless voice that appears to come from nowhere? Has it not occurred to you to scrutinize this event more closely to see if it might not be some sort of elaborate hoax?"

"You forget your _place _Governor." The Prime Magnate was visibly seething with rage.

"You forget _your _place my eminence… you are the _spiritual_ leader of our people, not the…"

Derryn still had his arm around Villip's shoulder and his fingertips dug very deeply into the Governor's shoulder. Ruksin cried out in pain as the Prime Magnate pointed toward the darkened silhouette of the Temple below. "I have something _else _to share with you tonight Governor," he declared with a wicked smile. "_Watch_…"

Villip Ruksin could already tell something was wrong. The birds and insects in the trees surrounding them had suddenly grown quiet. At the bottom of the hill below them, the Temple – which was already dark – seemed to grow even darker still. There were still soldiers moving about in the distance, working through the night. Somehow they seemed for a moment to fade into the background as an unexpected wave of sheer terror surged suddenly through Ruksin… even later he couldn't explain why. All he could recall was his heart beating faster and faster as he watched the horrendous image appear for an instant above the Temple of the People.

It was massive, dark-limbed and sinister… like some sort of perverted cross between a long serpent and an ebony dragon. It had dark glittering scales and wings too – their length easily spanned the entire width of the Temple building with room to spare. The creature hovered silently above the darkened Church, its sharp glowing red eyes blazing with anger directed solely at Ruksin as he stood quiet and paralyzed… watching in horror. The beast's muscular, knotted forelimbs clawed at the empty air in front of it as its huge wings moved up and down. An eerie green glow surrounded it, yet somehow failed to illuminate the surrounding terrain below. None of the soldiers working at the rear of the Temple appeared to notice the hideous creature floating directly above them. Dark and angry, the beast hovered menacingly for another brief moment…

…_and then it was gone._

"Only you and I can see it, Governor," hissed the Prime Magnate sharply into Ruksin's ear. "Only you and I know it is here. Our savior can appear to us as an eagle or as a dragon… whatever we need him to be. By your conduct alone do you choose and define the one that you see. And by their conduct alone shall our enemies choose which they can see. They shall join us or they shall die… thus it is written in our texts."

"I… I…" Still gripped with fear and shaking uncontrollably, Ruksin could say no more.

Derryn's next words chilled Villip to his very soul. "_Which_ did you see Governor… the eagle or the dragon?" Ruksin again said nothing as the Prime Magnate released his hold on the Governor's shoulder and started walking slowly down the hill. He turned only once, glancing back just long enough to issue one final warning. "Go back to your city and stay there… keep your quiet little corner of this planet safe and say nothing of what you have seen," suggested Akseth darkly. "_For I am the one the Creator has tasked with protecting _all_ of our people from its enemies, and I am the one who will lead us to our new beginning_."

In the sudden stillness of the late evening darkness, the Prime Magnate's booming voice seemed to echo hollowly across the chill evening air.

* * *

Alpha Quadrant, Starship _Enterprise_, Stardate 54944.9:

* * *

Shedding speed all the way in, the _Yellowjacket_ dipped expertly downward as it passed through the protective force shield across the doorway of the _Enterprise_'s shuttle bay two and settled gently onto the landing pad. The rumble of the Knighthawk-Class runabout's impulse engines gradually diminished as its pilot expertly placed them on standby. The outer hatch on the port side of the large exploratory scout ship slowly opened and Commander Data stepped back on board his home starship for the first time in over fifteen days. 

Captain Jean Luc Picard was present for the homecoming, and he moved forward to eagerly shake his second officer's hand firmly – the android had become like family to him over the years. He didn't dare admit that to anyone, of course, but the feelings were there nonetheless. "It's good to have you back aboard the _Enterprise_, Mr. Data," the Captain said with genuine sincerity. "I trust that your mission was a complete success."

"It was." The two of them turned and left the shuttle bay, making their way briskly toward the bridge of the large, Soverign-Class _Enterprise-E_. "Admiral McCoy asked me to say hello and to wish you well."

Picard smiled. "I trust you informed him that – although we have changed ships since last I saw him – we still bear the proper name to guide us through times both troubled and perilous…"

"Of course." Data paused for a moment as they entered a turbo-lift, his thoughts processing at a speed that would overload any normal brain. "I must, however, admit to mild surprise that our objective to create a copy of me for use by the _Voyager_ crew was so easily achieved. Dr. Soong's notes are far from complete, and I have never been able to solve certain abnormalities within my own positronic matrix when creating duplicates… as we learned most tragically during the time Lal was with us."

"Oh?" The Captain found himself feeling a bit puzzled at Data's strong reaction. "From what I've observed, Commander, you don't often fail once you've set your mind to something. I expected the experience you gained during your efforts with Lal to have made you an even better scientist."

"A better scientist perhaps, but the skills needed for that are much different than those needed for the creator of a sentient being. I was not at all satisfied with our work on Jupiter Station, since there were some very familiar looking anomalies notable in the final map of my positronic matrix. I expected them to cause difficulties, but they did not. Hearing the news from the Delta Quadrant that we had achieved success surprised me, since I sincerely expected that many more attempts would need to be made." He carefully accessed his rapidly growing index of catchy sayings. "Rome, after all, was not constructed in a day."

The lift continued its rapid ascent toward the bridge above them – deck one of twenty-six. As it moved, Picard held up a forefinger for emphasis. "I do not care whether it shouldn't have worked, Mr. Data. I would simply like to express my gratitude at having you back, and I truly hope that Captain Janeway has as much success with her Commander Data as I have had with mine. You are unique and you are also an important member of this crew."

"Thank you sir."

The lift doors snapped open and Data was quickly greeted by a chorus of cheers from the assembled bridge crew. Doctor Crusher, Counselor Troi, and Geordi LaForge had all – it seemed – taken time out of their busy, non-stop schedules to make certain that they were on the bridge for his return. Data smiled his best android smile and greeted each of them in turn, then quickly took his familiar seat at the starship's helm station.

Commander William T. Riker caught his Captain's eye and pointed toward the door to the ready room. "We're receiving a priority one transmission for you from Starfleet Command sir," the tall, muscular first officer told him. "I think our mission plans are about to change."

Picard nodded and moved into the private briefing room. He approached the replicator and ordered his usual "Tea, Earl Grey, hot…" and then cradled the warm cup in one hand as he sat down at the room's efficiently organized desk. He activated the monitor on its surface and the image of Admiral Owen Paris appeared.

The Captain immediately raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Admiral Paris," he said briskly. "I hadn't expected to hear from you again so soon after the successful conclusion of the 'Data Experiment'." He took a sip of tea as a thought occurred to him. "I sincerely hope you're not planning to take any of my bridge officers away from me again. After all, I have just now got them all back."

Paris chuckled with amusement and shook his head. "_Nothing quite like that will occur this time around, Captain_," he said reassuringly. "_But I am curious as to where your current assignments are taking you these days… I'm afraid I haven't been able to keep up with all the fleet reports, so a summary would be most appreciated_."

Picard chuckled. In the aftermath of the Dominion War, no one was keeping up to date with everything that they should be these days. "We've been running interference in the former demilitarized zone between the Federation and Cardassia," he stated informatively. "The Breen are trying to take advantage of the void left by the fighting to set up an occupation there, for reasons currently unknown. Additionally there are still renegade Jem'Hadar warships on both sides of the Bajoran wormhole… ships whose crews have long since run out of the narcotic Ketracel White. I'm afraid they've revolted against their Vorta handlers and aren't always obeying the terms of the cease fire. Thus, there are still occasional skirmishes taking place."

"_That doesn't sound like any party I'd like to join_." Paris decided, shaking his head. "_Although there have been days lately when I'd prefer a good fight as opposed to sitting around and administrating all of this paperwork." _He sighed._ "No one ever warned me how much of it there would be, and that most of it would have to be dealt with _after_ normal working hours_."

Picard smiled in reply. "So what's on your mind today Admiral?"

"_Ah yes_," replied Paris with a slow smile. "_I have a new assignment for you, and unfortunately I don't know yet whether this one is more or less dangerous than what you've already been doing_." He held up a data pad. "_A copy of this report has already been transmitted to you, so you can look it over once we're done here. Apparently Captain Janeway and _Voyager_ have run into some sort of bodiless, electromagnetic creature in the Delta Quadrant. Its energy profile matches that of a creature encountered by Starfleet on two other occasions; a very dangerous entity capable of completely taking over computer systems – even entire starships…_"

The Captain quickly downloaded the report into his own data pad and glanced at the first page summary on its screen. "The Questar entity?"

"_Correct. We've had warning buoys in place for over a century to keep ships away from there, but apparently the creature has somehow managed to free itself… this time it's in the Delta Quadrant near a highly populated area_."

Mystified, Picard set the pad down on the desk. "Am I mistaken Admiral, or did you just say that Starfleet has run into this creature on _two_ occasions?"

"_You heard me correctly_."

He paused, trying to understand but knowing that he did not yet have enough information. "Admiral, I myself am familiar with only the _Enterprise_ mission… Captain Kirk's visit to the dead star. Was there another that I don't know about?"

"_Unofficially yes_." The Admiral's expression grew extremely frustrated and he paused to take a deep breath. "_Let me summarize events for a moment so that you understand everything you need to know_," he declared finally. "_Shortly before the Dominion conflict turned into an all out war, the Federation had dozens of Starfleet ships in the Gamma Quadrant searching for lost exploratory vessels and Bajoran colonists. As you know, the Dominion gave many of them a rough time over there as they gradually escalated the confict and eventually killed or forced everyone back to our side of the wormhole…_"

"Yes…" Picard took another sip of his Earl Grey. "I remember."

"_While looking for our missing explorers and colonists, one of our ships unexpectedly discovered the old NX-02, Captain Erika Hernandez's _Columbia_, crash landed on an M-Class planet. Astonishingly, it has apparently been marooned there for less than ten years, having somehow traveled forward through time and halfway across the galaxy. Our search and rescue team didn't have much for anything other than a tentative survey of the derelict, given the hostile conditions in the region. But they did manage to salvage several of the Captain's logs and transmit them to us shortly before they were destroyed by a Dominion patrol. After reviewing those logs, Starfleet Intelligence concluded that the _Columbia_ was lost as a direct result of a conflict with this same type of electromagnetic creature while responding to a distress call near Tau Ceti. The entity somehow dug a subspace tunnel outward from Questar and back through time…_"

"Well, well, well… this is certainly the interesting news of the day," decided Picard firmly. "It was my understanding that the _Columbia_ was stranded on that planet in the Gamma Quadrant over two hundred years ago, and that Starfleet Intelligence believed that the Dominion somehow managed to visit our side of the galaxy in those early days of Starfleet's first brave steps toward exploration and abduct them. The mere possibility that Jem'Hadar were parading around the Alpha Quadrant centuries ago had more than a few people at Starfleet Command in an uproar for quite some time."

"_Yes_," pointed out the Admiral somewhat bitterly. "_That's correct Jean Luc. I am told that Section 31 Operatives, after hearing the scout vessel's report, immediately began spreading the Jem'Hadar rumor to hide the real truth. The Admiralty discussed the matter with Starfleet Intelligence and very reluctantly decided to endorse that theory until the conclusion of the war. After that, we figured that there would be plenty of time to recover the NX-02 and set the record straight_."

Picard fingered the nearly-empty tea cup idly, thinking the matter through. "So you want the _Enterprise_ to set course for the Gamma quadrant and attempt a salvage operation?" he guessed. "We're to bring home _Columbia_?"

Admiral Paris nodded affirmatively. "_Correct. I've already dispatched the_ Volsunga Saga _to rendezvous with you at Deep Space Nine. The _Saga _is a Prometheus-Class combat cruiser and can ride alongside you on your journey and use its firepower to augment your defensive capabilities. I've already issued the assignment order, so don't be at all surprised if Captain Goldwolf decides to check in with you prior to your arrival_."

The Captain's eyebrow soared. "Captain Henry Goldwolf?" he asked curiously.

Owen Paris chuckled. "_You're not objecting to his assignment to helm the_ Saga, _I hope_."

"On the contrary," replied Picard with a hearty laugh of his own. "However, I think anyone who tries to best him in combat while he's in command of that arsenal will be voicing an objection or two..." He paused, old memories resurfacing. "I can't think of a better ship to ride along with us on this journey."

"_That's good to hear_." The Admiral looked rather pleased that Picard had accepted the notably risky assignment without hesitation. "_Although the Gamma Quadrant has quieted down somewhat, I have read reports lately that Ambassador Odo needs more time to stabilize it completely. Until a solution to the Jem'Hadar Ketracel-White crisis is found, they're still a very lethal enemy that attacks unexpectedly_." Paris interlaced his fingers together and set both hands on the desk in front of him. "_Good luck Captain… I'm placing you in command of this mission. Janeway already has plans to investigate more thoroughly what the entity is up to in the Delta Quadrant, but the sensor log database from_ Columbia _could be critical in helping her come up with a defense against this thing. Other than several brief scans that survived Kirk's encounter with it, no one, to our knowledge, has ever run into this kind of life form before. If _Columbia _landed intact on that planet ten years ago as the initial scouting party reported, then Starfleet Intelligence believes that there is a good chance Captain Hernandez and her crew discovered a way to defeat it. If they didn't, well… then at least this is one lost ship that we _can_ bring home_."

"The _Enterprise _will change course immediately," promised Picard.

"_Don't be surprised if Colonel Kira wants to send some of her Deep Space Nine team along for the ride_," pointed out Paris. "_They know the Gamma Quadrant and the other side of the Bajoran wormhole quite well by now_." The Admiral smiled. "_Good luck Jean Luc... Paris out_."

As the screen went dark, Picard's eyes shifted back to the data pad he was holding and its information regarding James Kirk's first encounter with the entity in the gravity well at Questar. He read through the log entries and the limited sensor data profiling the creature's distinct electromagnetic signature.

He also noticed that, during the encounter, Captain Kirk had tricked the creature into panicking under pressure.

"If you can't stand the heat…" he mumbled softly to himself.


	8. Matters Of King & Conscience

**DISCLAIMERS:** _As this story progresses, it will become much more obvious (if it isn't already) that a primary focus/analysis of extremist religion is occurring here. The opinions and views are thus solely my own, and hopefully will remain as moderate as possible in keeping with the storyline. I'm not trying to push religious or moral views on anyone, nor am I trying to rally anyone against organized religion. But the situation that is developing in the Delta Quadrant is sudden, unexpected, and VERY dangerous. _

_Thus, since I am not limited to a one or two-hour episode I want to add as much depth as possible to some of the new characters that the crews of Starfleet interact with. I wish the real shows could have explored some of those "guest stars" a little more deeply too, but that's part of the format of television. Sometimes a written story can stimulate the imagination much more deeply, and that is all that I am after here… a well told tale that makes us pause and think for a bit. What would we do in that type of situation? With that said, read on…_

* * *

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter VII: Matters Of King & Conscience**

* * *

Alpha Quadrant, Near Tau Ceti, March 15, 2156:

* * *

Captain Jonathan Archer watched the forward viewscreen with growing concern as _Enterprise_ dropped out of warp and decelerated to sub-light velocity. The star shine passing around them faded back to the normal black of space with bright, distant stars sprinkled here and there. Lt. Travis Mayweather promptly throttled up their impulse engines, driving the starship relentlessly toward the last known coordinates of _Columbia_. Both Charles "Trip" Tucker and Dr. Phlox had made certain to be on the bridge for the arrival, watching with interest the rest of the command crew work to establish just what – if anything – was still going on in the region. 

"Anything?" Archer looked hopefully at the attractive female Vulcan who had served as his advisor and science officer for many years now. T'Pol said nothing… she simply shook her head negatively.

"I'm not detecting anything either Captain…" Malcolm Reed stood at his tactical station intently, watching data scroll by as fast as he could read it. Their alert status was currently yellow, and he was ready for anything. "Phasers and photonic torpedoes are ready, just in case."

T'Pol continued checking the sensors, watching as the pre-programmed search grid gradually filled in. Objects were scanned, matched against database records, and catalogued automatically as their ship continued drawing nearer to Tau Ceti. "There is a debris field caught in a decaying orbit around the star," she pointed out. "I believe it is the remains of a Tellarite vessel… most likely the ship that initially called for help."

The Captain's expression remained grim. "What happened to it?"

Her eyes flicked back toward the sensors. "The freighter was destroyed by concentrated weapons fire approximately three weeks ago." T'Pol remained calm and efficient in her customary Vulcan manner, and it was clear that she was working as diligently as possible. She looked up and met Archer's gaze with what he could only suspect was a look of deep regret. "The destruction of the Tellarite freighter happened too long ago Captain… there is no energy signature left for me to pinpoint a specific type of weaponry."

Archer glanced down at the floor for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "Hoshi?"

The dark-haired Asian communications officer shook her head. "No Comm-traffic sir, we haven't received _any_ transmissions from this vicinity since the last contact with _Columbia_ – just their final message that they were beginning an investigation."

The search went on for a few minutes longer as the NX-01 continued to make a very detailed, very thorough survey of the area surrounding Tau Ceti. Finally T'Pol was standing next to the primary sensor scanner, and the blue glow from its display played along her facial features as she focused downward onto it. "I am picking up the remnants of a large, unstable sub-space rupture… it is directly ahead of us and collapsing rapidly." She took additional readings. "I believe that the opening was once large enough for a starship to move through. If Captain Hernandez and her crew had a good enough reason for investigating the interior of that anomaly, it's quite probably where _Columbia_ ended up."

The Captain's frustration continued. "_Why?_" he asked. "Why would they go in there?"

T'Pol shrugged. "Without more information, I can only speculate."

Trip stood at the rear of the bridge, next to the lift. Dr. Phlox was right next to him and both of them felt – for the most part – helpless. "If they went in there before that thing collapsed, we're going to have a helluva time finding them," decided Trip. "Depending on what was in there, it's quite possible they wouldn't even survive the trip back out into normal space…"

Archer clenched his fists together tightly. "If they were damaged or destroyed there should be debris…" he pointed out. "The fact that there's _nothing_ is almost more troubling to me; it means they went somewhere, and now they can't get back again."

Phlox stood in the background with a very concerned, almost mournful expression on his Denobulan features. "As with most Starfleet physicians, Dr. Karyn Petroyko was a very dear friend and colleague of mine," he told them. "It would sadden me deeply if I am not fortunate enough to see her again."

Mayweather scowled. "If only we could have gotten here sooner…" his gaze shifted sternly back toward Archer. "The Coalition meetings shouldn't be more important than our own people."

"Starfleet simply doesn't have enough of a presence out in space yet," pointed out Hoshi. "Once the Coalition is formed and we can rely on our allies more thoroughly it will help matters considerably." She shrugged. "Perhaps someday Starfleet will stop expecting us to be in two places at once."

Archer listened to the comments and abruptly realized that there was nothing more he could do until his people finished their survey. "Keep up the search. Call me as soon as you find _anything_," he told them as he struggled to keep his own emotions in check. Rising from the command seat, he entered the lift and exited the bridge so that the crew wouldn't see how truly flustered their Captain currently was.

* * *

Jonathan sat quietly in his personal quarters for awhile holding Porthos. The Captain's favorite beagle licked his cheek eagerly, having expected his owner to be gone a while longer. It was not often that Archer returned from a duty shift so quickly, especially while during a deep space mission such as this one. Jonathan idly picked up a small box of biscuits and tossed one to the dog, listening to the animal crunch it sharply with his teeth. As Porthos finished the treat, the sight of him suddenly glancing past the Captain startled him out of his subconscious evaluation of their current situation and back to reality.

_Someone else was in the room._

"Hello Captain Archer."

He hadn't seen Daniels for quite some time… hadn't ever expected to see him again, in fact. Ever since their return from the Delphic Expanse and the subsequent events that had unfolded on Earth, the temporal "cold war" that had initially launched _Enterprise_ on its first mission had seemed to stray by the wayside. Porthos trotted over to the "Ensign" who had again traveled back in time from 900 years in Earth's future and sniffed the man's shoes. Daniels leaned over and stroked the animal's fur gently, dropping into a kneeling position so that he was less threatening to the small dog.

"What do you want?" Archer asked, a bit too defiantly and definitely un-Captain-like. They had worked together successfully before, and he even considered Daniels to be a friend that he could fully rely upon during dangerous times. Despite the grim circumstances of the Tau Ceti mission, he was still disappointed at losing his temper so easily.

"We both are going through the same experience Jonathan… the sacrifice that we make as explorers. We covet the experiences that no one else will have while we're out here having them, but there's always danger lurking. For all of us who choose to leave the safety of our homes behind. It's a trade off we're willing to pay."

Archer's response was better controlled this time, but he was still not in the mood for pointless chitchat. "I hope you came here to tell me something about the whereabouts of _Columbia_. If not, then I hope you understand if I don't exactly feel like talking about the good old days right now."

Daniels pulled out a chair and sat down. "Actually I do have some news about Captain Hernandez and her crew." Archer met his gaze and the two stared at each other for a moment, stone-faced and expressionless. "I'm afraid that you and Starfleet aren't going to see them again," he said finally.

The Captain sighed heavily. "Daniels if you know something that can help…"

"_All_ I can tell you is that Captain Hernandez and her crew gave their lives doing the same thing that you and I do," replied Daniels tensely. "They risked everything so that they could save Earth from a potential disaster, even though you and your Starfleet superiors may never have discovered their sacrifice. I'm telling you this because you and your crew are going to have to go on with your lives, and you're going to have to keep morale as high as you can for awhile among your people until this blows over. You will _not_ see _Columbia_ again."

For a moment, there was silence in the room. Porthos curled up next to Daniels' foot and lowered his head onto his front paws, content to sit and listen as the two men conversed.

"_How_ are you and I possibly going through the same experience?" asked Archer defensively.

Daniels responded by holding up a few pieces of small, portable technical equipment. "I cleared out my old quarters so that you won't have to keep them sealed any longer. After today, you won't be seeing me again either."

"Why not? Another assignment?"

The dark-haired time traveler smiled wistfully, then reached down and scratched Porthos behind the ears. "You and all of your crew risked your lives in the Delphic expanse… many of you died defending Earth from the Xindi threat. Now my time has also come… when I leave here I'm going back in time to die. I received the assignment several hours ago… my time as a living, breathing human being in this universe is over."

He hadn't thought that Daniels could catch him by surprise, but Archer was startled. "What are you talking about?"

"You remember Silik? The Suliban who came aboard your ship disguised as a pilgrim at Agosoria? He saved your ship that day… saved it from a warp core breach because he received orders from his contact in the future to do so. That was the first time I approached you, and the next time that you and your crew saw me you were all wondering why I was still alive – since several of you saw Silik shoot me dead in your engine room." He continued to pet Porthos, who cooperated by rolling over onto his back so that Daniels could more easily scratch his belly. "I knew immediately, when I heard your crew saw me die, that my time would be up very soon… obviously while I was still a young man."

"_How_ did you survive and come back?" Archer asked curiously. "Can't you just do again what you did before?"

"Events that occur during time travel do not always take place in their correct linear order," Daniels pointed out. "Temporal mechanics is a shaky beast, even with the proper technology. Suffice it to say that I haven't gone back in time yet to that particular point in the past because it wasn't necessary until now. I had almost forgotten the Agosoria incident entirely, and wasn't even aware that I had to go back there until I received the assignment this morning. That is my next destination, and – unfortunately as a time traveler – sometimes I hear things in advance that I shouldn't. It goes with the job." He sighed heavily. "Since the Agosoria incident is my next project, I have to live with the knowledge that Silik is going to kill me before I can get off your ship and return to my future… I have to know that and go anyway."

The Captain's eyes suddenly blazed with understanding. "But you _have_ to go back there, don't you? You don't have a choice?"

Daniels' nodded. "Yes. In order for the timeline to stay in alignment with the corrections that we've made over the years, I do have to go back. If events take place differently in your engine room that day, then all of history after that incident will probably change." He glanced at the wall and chuckled. "So we _are_ a lot alike… I just happen to know that it is my time to die today. So there is a small difference, since you live on the edge every day while you're out here, not knowing when or if." He began attaching the devices to his belt. "Ironically, I'm stopping off at my office in the future to pick up a few more of these devices and then proceeding directly back to the time I first came aboard your vessel. After that, I'm going to put them in the very same quarters that you currently have sealed and wait for Silik and the pilgrims to come aboard."

Archer's expression remained grim. "Thank you for all of your help, Daniels. Thank you for your efforts to keep history safe from tampering by hostile people. You probably don't get a lot of 'thank you's' in your line of work, so let me say it so that you hear it at least once."

His comment drew a bright smile out of Daniels. "You don't get a lot of thanks either, but you are just as determined and exactly the _same_ Captain… both you and your crew. When you took your ship into the Delphic Expanse, you knew there was a damned good chance that you might not come back alive. When you boarded the Xindi weapon to disarm it, _again_ you knew that the odds were against you. But you did it anyway, because you and your crew are people who put the welfare of others before themselves."

The time traveler known to Archer only as Ensign Daniels stood up and tugged on his dark black uniform. "Believe me, I'm going to try like hell to stay out of Silik's line of fire, but I already know that I won't be able to." He held up both hands and shrugged. "Such is the nature of my job, unfortunately."

Archer sat quietly, deep in thought. "So _Columbia _is gone? The entire ship and all of its crew?" he said finally.

Daniels nodded. "You'll be searching for them in this region for quite a while, I'd wager. But you won't find anything, and after all we've been through I just wanted to make certain you knew the truth. They didn't die in vain… they saved Earth from a great deal of death and destruction by forcefully confronting a hideous entity that could have done a lot of damage in this time period. You know that they're gone and you know that we can only reveal so much about what we learn during time travel… it's all part of the trade, part of being Starfleet. Some secrets people like you and I have to keep even if we don't want to, so that the past, present and future remain aligned."

"Goodbye Daniels."

"Goodbye Captain." Daniels activated one of the devices attached to his belt and vanished instantly, almost as though he had never been there at all.

Captain Archer picked up Porthos and hugged the animal close, feeling the warm, breathing body of the friendly animal. "It was nice knowing you," he said, not knowing at first whether his statement was meant for Daniels or the crew of _Columbia_. Thinking a bit longer he decided that they all deserved a proper send off. "It was nice knowing _all_ of you," he said quietly to himself.

Gently, he set Porthos down and headed back to the bridge. He made a mental note to stop by the mess hall after his shift ended and pick up a few chunks of cheese. If a starship Captain couldn't spoil his pet with an occasional treat, after all, then who else in the galaxy could?

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Rafali Home World, Stardate 54945.3:

* * *

After a great deal of thought, Governor Villip Ruksin decided to play by the same rules as set forth by the Prime Magnate himself. It was late morning and shortly before lunch in the capital city, and Derryn Akseth's schedule listed him as out of the city for the rest of the day… not returning until tomorrow evening in fact. Part of his job was traveling to the churches in the various cities and meeting with the religious leaders. The fact that many influential people – most of whom regularly conversed with the Prime Magnate – were so aggressively centered on Rafali as being the supreme center of the universe seriously bothered him.

_Extremism in any form always had, particularly when innocent people were caught in the middle._

By comparison, Yukshaan was a much more populous culture and its people were very diverse. Their nations were composed of many member states whose leaders were all united as a common government driving a powerful economy. Thus, many of the poorer people on Ruksin's world were constantly looking toward those off in the distance who had so much more. Naturally they felt a bit envious, and a growing number of Rafalians felt outright hatred that they did not even bother to try and disguise. The situation with his people was one of the major reasons that the Governor had – over the years – fought desperately to keep his own viewpoint moderate. It was difficult sometimes, but he had often observed others giving in to their negative emotions, bias, sometimes even racism.

_It diminished them all despite the fact that they claimed to be moral or religious._

Villip had faithfully attended church his entire life, standing in the Temple of the People each week with his wife and four small children. He and his wife listened politely to the sermons while their children – like so many other kids their age – struggled to remain quiet and still as they began to learn patience. It was one of the first few necessary skills of adulthood, just like reading and writing. If you didn't know how to interact socially with others and you failed to get a decent education, Ruksin knew from the stories of his grandfather that options to move beyond poverty later in life became very, very limited.

Thus Ruksin privately admired the Yukshaan and the Stefe'en. The latter were a much more agriculturally based society. Several of their planets had starships like the Yukshaan, but they had an entire world dedicated to farming. The use of technology on that planet was very limited and carefully monitored by its government… the tales of its beauty circulating throughout the rest of the Yukshaan Trade Coalition were legendary. Ruksin was well aware that the faith chosen by the people of these other cultures was diverse, but that most of them also believed in a Father Creator very similar to the God of his own people.

_That was why he was currently so very angry about events transpiring in the sacred Temple of the People._

Governor Ruksin had never considered himself to be the smartest Rafalian, but he was an experienced and politically savvy man. He knew moderates when he met them, extremists when they tried to conceal their bias, and could spot a political power play while it was still in its infancy. And that was precisely what he believed was going on right now… a play for power by Derryn Akseth to elevate his status in the Rafali government. Spiritual leader wasn't enough for Akseth, he wanted to dictate policy and wage war on his enemies.

Ruksin was still terrified from his vision of the dragon that had temporarily hovered over the Temple the previous evening. He had said nothing to his wife upon returning home; had simply gotten himself a snack and then turned in for a quiet evening of rest. Upon waking up in the morning he knew that he was caught between a rock and a hard place, pure and simple. Some how and in some unknown manner, the Prime Magnate had acquired a new, unexpected and extremely powerful ally. No one really knew about it yet save for Ruksin, but something bad was on the horizon and Villip was determined to put a stop to it before his people ended up with true blood on their hands.

In the old days, before there was the technology, the Rafali population had survived much like the Stefe'en on their agricultural world… by taming the unknown wilderness around them. They had built cabins from wood, used horses and wagons to haul supplies back and forth, and farmed the land upon which they lived. For a while, that wilderness had been very rugged and unpredictable; everyone back then had recognized that rule of law was sometimes sorely lacking in a frontier environment.

The uncontrolled blood lust and violence demonstrated by the few was what bothered Ruksin the most… just a couple of bad seeds could spoil an entire population with their acidic hate. The fact that there had always been someone willing to step up on a soapbox and whip a crowd into an emotional frenzy was undeniable. That type of troublemaker would always be lurking somewhere, waiting for a chance to ram their name into the history books.

It was always easier to influence people whose emotions were stirred up, which was why many of the historical, earliest religious and political leaders had done so. But there was a fine and very careful line that had to be walked with powerful speeches and public displays of great emotion. In the old days, a crowd that was enraged enough to become a mob was much more likely to lynch a person on the spot as opposed to waiting for a trial.

_Yet the trial was the most important thing, since it was a careful review of facts and evidence that in the end determined a person's guilt or innocence._

It was never easy to be a mature adult, and most good folks that the Governor knew were constantly working hard at it. That was one of the reasons why Ruksin _chose_ to take time and attend church services each and every week… because he never considered himself so perfect and so well-balanced that he was incapable of hearing another point of view. The Prime Magnate, however, had directly challenged Ruksin's faith and his belief system, and he was doing so with many other Rafalians. The Governor had no doubt that Akseth's goals were primarily personal… he wanted to be the religious leader of his people, but he also craved political power and wanted to bring about the demise of his own perceived enemies.

_Rafali was hovering at a crucial point in the ongoing evolution of its population, and suddenly some sort of unknown _thing_ had appeared to Akseth claiming to be the Father Creator._

Ruksin wasn't completely certain just what this newcomer was, but it obviously had some sort of power – be it magic or hidden superior technology – that was beyond their ability to understand. Based on the image he had watched hovering over the Temple the evening prior, he was reasonably certain that its intentions were hostile. It too craved power, and it was driving the Prime Magnate to stealthily use his influence with the people of Damoklis City and those in the surrounding districts, gradually rallying them into a furious, angry mob.

The entity claimed that it truly _was _the Father Creator and that it intended to protect the Rafalians from their enemies, but with Villip Ruksin the Prime Magnate had made a critical mistake – he had approached a seasoned political leader and defined Rafali's 'enemies' as Yukshaan and Stefe'en… those who simply lived in a different nation, or had chosen for themselves a different belief system. The Governor had interacted with all kinds of people from all nations in their shaky Trade Coalition. Although he was a proud member of his community and a patriot, he did not easily buy into hate speech, bigotry, or bias towards those he did not personally know.

Over the years Ruksin and his fellow leaders had traded for goods and supplies from those worlds and their people. During times of natural disaster on Rafali Prime, the Coalition members had often given them everything they needed to stabilize areas hardest hit, and they had done so because they truly wanted to help those who needed a helping hand. Especially during times when life was miserable for thousands, the other members of the Trade Coalition had always been willing to pitch in and even _rush_ assistance to them.

_All Rafali leaders like Ruksin had to do was ask for the needed food, water and medicine._

_Yet the Governor was one of the few who had. _

If anything, Ruksin felt that people on his world who had accepted that assistance should count the blessings life had granted them and be a bit more grateful. Instead, most leaders focused their attention almost completely on things they did_ not_ have… namely guns and other weapons that killed people and did nothing to feed families in need. Many of the Rafali leaders remained bitter and resentful, all while the Governor sat in the Capitol building well aware that he was only one voice amongst many. He was one moderate in a declining minority as others continued to buy into the hate speech of the Prime Magnate and his top level of elite, professional preachers.

On many occasions Ruksin had personally interacted with leaders from Yukshaan and Stefe'en, whereas the Prime Magnate had made only token gestures and rarely traveled off world. The elite of other nations, in Akseth's mind, were supposed to come to _him_. Derryn preferred to spend a majority of his time convincing Rafalians that the hard working citizens of other cultures and faiths were in fact enemies of the state. It was pure religious and political rhetoric that a man like Ruksin recognized for what it was.

_Until recent months, Derryn Akseth had been limited in the damage that he could do._

_Now that strange and sinister _thing _had shown up and was helping him capture sophisticated, deadly starships and weaponry._

Ruksin had always opted for a common sense approach to wisdom. For instance, he did not seriously believe that a Father Creator who truly cared about his children would mind if those people missed church occasionally. Nor did he think that God would mind if some of his people led very busy lives and simply chose to skip church altogether. There were many ways to pray, many ways for people to have faith, and many liked to do so privately rather than by posturing in public. The Governor had learned to recognize moral, decent people when he spotted them, regardless of their stated religious beliefs and regardless of whether or not he saw them in church every week…

_They were people of good conscience with a sound moral fiber, people who truly cared about the welfare of others in addition to themselves._

_They were people who found a way to contribute positively to society, even if they couldn't always hold a regular job. Some chose to be devoted fathers and mothers and – as anyone with children knew – that was a full-time job all by itself._

_They were people who would not steal even if they could get away with it, people who felt emotional hurt themselves when they said or did something that hurt another._

Essentially, Governor Villip Ruksin believed that any true Father Creator worth worshipping and following would recognize kindness, compassion, and the willingness to help others _regardless_ of how people chose to say their prayers. Some folk's concept of prayer was to do something nice for another. Others wanted to reach back inside themselves, search their souls and use private mediation to develop a deep, spiritual connection with a Creator that they could never truly be certain existed during the span of a normal life. Others preferred to spend time with family and friends in a private setting, living, laughing, and loving life.

In all of these people could be found the growing seed of _faith_.

Ruksin regularly met, recognized and respected _all_ of these people as he interacted with them. It was one of the privileges he felt had been bestowed upon him when he had accepted the role of Governor. Diversity and tolerance among people were vital keys to any civilized culture, yet those major focal points were exactly what Derryn Akseth, using his influence as the current appointed Prime Magnate, had targeted as his primary enemy.

Governor Ruksin evaluated what he had observed in recent days and one clear, unalterable thought ran through his mind…

_I don't want future generations growing up to hate others simply because something is different about them._

And if the Father Creator had truly chose nto reveal himself to his children, Ruksin firmly believed he would do so in a loving manner that recognized all people regardless of their chosen race or religion. These thoughts caused him to logically conclude that whatever was hiding in the Temple of the People was _not_ the Father Creator. And if by some bizarre twist of fate this was God, then it was not a deity that Governor Villip Ruksin wanted teaching and guiding his children. If worst came to worst, he was fully confident that both he and his wife would do a better job of that on their own.

_The real Father Creator would be capable of _forgiveness_ and stay the hand of vengeance, especially towards those who had sinned and made mistakes in life. He would be kind and gentle, and he would not urge his followers to be brutal and arrogant…_

Thus, on that warm summer morning, with the sun shining brightly all around the Rafali city of Damoklis, one kind and gentle man summoned up his courage and stepped out into the light of day to stand up for what he believed in. Governor Villip Ruksin left his private office in the Capitol building and went in search of Tyleb Ekken, Chief of City Security. The time for thinking was over, and the Governor had been receiving and reading reports about events transpiring inside the Temple all day. Since Derryn Akseth was out of the city, Ruksin intended to take full advantage of the opportunity presented to him. If the _thing_ hiding in their Temple tried to stop him, he had absolutely no control over that. On this most important matter, however, the Governor decided to place his trust in the gentle hands of what he believed to be the _true_ Father Creator… one who did not show up and teach his people to arrogantly dehumanize others.

* * *

Chief Ekken met the Governor at the entrance to the Temple. It looked much more cheeful in the sunlight of day, and most definitely a lot less sinister than it had the evening prior. The image of the giant black dragon was still fully at the forefront of Ruksin's thoughts as he nodded to Tyleb. The Chief studied his leader's expression curiously…

"You're certain you want to do this?" Ekken asked curiously.

"Yes… and publically in full view of everyone," stated Ruksin in reply. "I need to send a message to any left who will listen. Additionally, it is our obligation to warn the Yukshaan and Stefe'en that there are those among us who would seek to put aside the diplomatic progress we have made to instead spread war and evil."

As a law enforcement officer, Ekken was trained to take orders and did so without hesitation. His own conscience was eating at him as well, but one did not survive in his position within the complex structure of Damoklis' politics by having too much initiative. So he weighed his knowledge of the Prime Magnate's recent actions against those of the man he knew as both Governor and the current recognized leader of the city and proceeded to do exactly as he was told. "I have already contacted your family," he told the Governor. "They will meet you at the spaceport at noon. Surely you don't think that anyone…"

"Trust is not being given to people like you and me these days, so how can we offer it in return?" replied Ruksin brusquely.

A squad of heavily armed policemen joined them, and together they all proceeded silently into the Temple. Some of the men and women looked a bit frightened at the prospect of doing so, but they obeyed the order to proceed. Bringing weapons inside the Temple was a clear violation of church doctrine, but all one had to do was cast a quick glance around the courtyard at all of the military soldiers and vehicles moving back and forth. Upon doing so, it was quite obvious that the line on that particular matter had already been crossed.

They moved quickly through the halls and into the back of the Temple, behind the Altar. Governor Ruksin glanced apprehensively at the tall, sparkling Enumalis as they passed by but it remained dormant. There was no sign at all of the entity that had twice before shown itself to him. Whether this was by design or in fear of betraying its presence to the others – well, Villip did not really care as long as he and the Chief were not interfered with.

A pair of soldiers at the doorway to the basement chambers tried to block their passage on their initial attempts to descend into the old halls below. Both men backed down, however, upon noting the Governor's expression and hearing his express order to yield by order of the city leadership. They were not under martial law, after all, and Villip Ruksin was quite clearly the recognized head of the Damoklis city government. There were no elevators in this part of the building, even though other chambers above ground had been fully modernized. Thus there were a lot of heavy footsteps thundering through the stairwells as Ruksin, Ekken, and their squad of officers passed by the soldiers and proceeded quickly into the Temple's basement.

The six soldiers on duty in front of the hastily assembled detention area quickly snapped to attention. Their surprise was genuine, since part of Derryn Akseth's character was his tremendous ego… and after what Akseth had shown the Governor the previous evening, he would not think that Ruksin would be capable of standing up to him and even less expectant that the Governor would dare to take action during his absence. Unfortunately, after moving back into the detention area Villip Ruksin discovered that the rumors he had heard throughout the morning were true. There was another reason that the soldiers had been caught off guard.

In one of the side rooms, they had a prisoner tied to a chair and it was quite obvious that he had been severely beaten. Whatever else they had done to the man remained – for the moment – unknown.

"Release that man," ordered Ruksin tersely. "And release _all_ of the other prisoners too. The entire group is free to go as of now, and coming with us."

"Governor, are you certain…"

Ruksin quieted the nervous soldier with a glare of pure rage… he discovered to his surprise this day that he was quite capable of hating too, if he let go inside and allowed himself to. But his intellect remained strong and he forced the strong negative emotions to the side of his mind – they could be dealt with later, on a punching bag or by running for exercise until his lungs threatened to burst. He made a mental promise that he would not allow himself to become part of the hate crowd that was fast becoming the norm in his city… on his world.

Ekkers waited patiently with the Governor as his officers took the keys to the handcuffs and leg irons that the prisoners were wearing. The men were still dressed in the uniforms of the Yuskshaan vessel they had flown between the stars, and most of them looked scared, thin and malnourished. They were well trained and disciplined, but it was obvious that – here beneath the Temple of the Rafali People – something completely out of the ordinary was happening. The men had only been confined here for several days, and already they were visibly shaken.

"Do not worry," spoke Ruksin reassuringly. "I am the Governor of the Rafali city you are in, and I am going to make certain that you are released back to your people… I have issued a statement ordering this to be made effective _immediately_."

One of the officers wearing a uniform composed of brown and forest green nodded in gratitude. "I am Captain Dunammen," he said with a deep sigh of relief. "We did not know what to expect... we did not expect to be captured in the first place."

Chief Ekken walked down the long line of men in the corridor neatly dividing a large number of rooms on each side of it. These had been used in the past to temporarily house homeless families but now had been hastily converted to detention cells. Ekken carefully checked each prisoner to make certain that all handcuffs and restraints had been removed, then turned and signaled Ruksin that they were ready to proceed. The Governor immediately seized Dunammen by the arm and began walking back toward the stairs with him, ignoring the uncertain stares from the puzzled soldiers on guard. With a dozen armed policemen surrounding them, any resistance offered would surely result in utter chaos for everyone.

_It was a big gamble to be sure, but Ruksin was getting away with it._

"Walk quickly with me," the Governor told the Yukshaan Captain. "Stay by my side and keep your men close by. We will proceed up the stairs and out through the Temple entrance. After that, we're going to this city's spaceport at which point my family and I will join you aboard a transport vessel leaving Damoklis."

The Captain was noticeably startled. "What in all of creation is going on?" he asked with puzzlement, noting the man who had been beaten. "Several of my men have been violently abused… we have a treaty for God's sake…"

"I realize that Captain, but this subject is a conversation that we should reserve for another time and place, don't you agree?" Ruksin's eyes flickered toward the armed soldiers standing in the background. All six of them stood by, still confused, and the Captain watched them for a moment before returning his own gaze to the Governor and nodding in full agreement.

Ruksin, Chief Ekken, a pair of his officers, and the captured Yukshaan soldiers began ascending the nearby stairwell. Once again the church boomed with the sound of many running feet, while the remainder of Ekken's police officers waited at the bottom. Once everyone else was on the stairs, they also began climbing the short flight of stairs back to the ground floor. They said nothing to the soldiers left below, simply leaving them to the empty corridor and its vacant cells.

The pair of Rafali soldiers at the top of the stairs looked on in astonishment as the long line of men emerged from the stairwell and headed back out into the main area of the Temple. There were several small groups of citizens scattered amongst the rows and rows of pews surrounding the Altar. Ruksin led the prisoners past the glittering crystal Enumalis, directly through the center of the Temple and out into the daylight beyond. The looks on the faces of his citizens were of complete astonishment.

As the large group emerged from the building Ruksin felt the Captain put a hand on his shoulder. "More of our ships and people have been captured by your military. What about them?"

Villip nodded. "I understand your concern, Captain Dunammen. I can't do anything for them, since I am only one small politician in a bed of snakes. I can, however, save you and your crew if you will let me."

Now that they were clear of the Temple, their pace increased. "How?"

"My family will be in danger because of what I have done. That's why we're coming with you back to Yukshaan… so that I can warn your people about what's happening here. Together, you and I may potentially prevent war and save many lives. Only time will tell."

An expression of understanding appeared on Dunammen's face. "I sincerely hope so," he said in response. "The military hardware that your people have captured is very dangerous. If not carefully maintained that technology could…"

"I know," said Ruksin with concern. "It may already be too late to prevent war, but at least your people and the Stefe'en will have a chance to defend themselves if it comes."

Ekken directed everyone toward a nearby road and a series of large land vehicles that were waiting for them with their engines idling. Each was designed to hold a dozen adults, and the Chief had called ahead well in advance of the Governor's arrival to make certain there would be enough of them to accommodate both his police force and all of the Yukshaan prisoners. Everyone broke into groups with one armed officer assigned to each vehicle. They were large vans with combustion engines and it took awhile for all of the men to climb inside them. Once everyone was aboard Ekken signaled the lead driver to head for the Damoklis spaceport.

As their vehicles pulled away and the Temple faded back into the distance behind them, Governor Villip Ruskin never looked back. Only later, after they were aboard a Rafali transport ship did he finally look down and notice that a dark, thin crescent moon shape – almost like a tattoo – had appeared seemingly out of nowhere on the back of his left hand.

* * *

Alpha Quadrant, Deep Space Station Nine, Stardate 54945.3:

* * *

Lt. Commander Nog stood nervously next to Colonel Kira Nerys in Ops. The Ferengi Starfleet officer was watching the small viewscreen on the console in front of him carefully as he waited with obvious impatience. He continued to fidget noticeably. "When is Worf's arrival time again?" he asked curiously.

Miles O'Brien was seated at Jadzia Dax's old console, and he looked up with a chuckle. "Don't _worry_ Nog," he said with mild amusement. "You'll get to board the _Volsuga Saga_ before Worf… the Ambassador will never be able to get here all the way from Kronos before docking is completed. He's already too late."

Nog practically cackled with glee. "The _Saga_ is here?" he grinned.

"_Volsunga Saga_, this is Ops… you are cleared for docking at upper pylon two." Colonel Kira smiled at Nog as she watched his pleased reaction. "How about it Commander? Would you like to welcome Captain Goldwolf and crew to DS9 for us?"

"Would I? Of course I would!" Nog turned quickly toward the exit and passed two Starfleet security guards. "You're with me," he said eagerly and both of them followed him to the lift.

Kira shook her head with amusement, and the handmade golden earring that she wore on her right earlobe glittered in the light, accentuating the highlights in her short dark hair. "I don't want to be around when Worf gets here," she decided, glancing over at O'Brien.

He smiled back at her. "Both of those two had a bet going as to who would be the first to see a Prometheus-Class starship up close and personal, and it looks like the kid is going to win."

The Colonel studied his expression curiously. "You still think of him as a _kid_?"

O'Brien huffed a bit. "Of course. He was running around with Jake Sisko and causing one ruckus after another for most of the time that Keiko and I were stationed here. I guess I'll always think of him that way."

"He's come a long way since then."

O'Brien nodded in total agreement, glancing around at all of the new faces in Ops... people he had gotten to know very well in the past few weeks. "It was very nice of you to invite me to join the upgrade team from San Francisco. Things are going great back on Earth, but I'm pretty certain I was well on the way to driving Keiko crazy… I'm just not a gardener. So I've been itching to find an excuse to work with technology again, and even the prospect of these bloody Cardassian computer systems was tempting enough to get me out of the house for awhile." He picked up the tool kit he had been using to repair the work station and smiled. "So seriously… thank you for the invitation. The Engineer in me loves you for it."

Kira nodded her head just slightly in acknowledgement. "You're welcome Chief," she said warmly, then laughed. "You'll always think of Nog as a kid, and I'll always think of you as Chief Miles Edward O'Brien."

"Ex-Chief Miles Edward O'Brien, who does an occasional bit of private sector consultant work now and then," he grinned. "Everyone did miss me, didn't they?"

"Always. You have no idea how much of a legacy you've left behind here Miles." Kira pointed to the Commander's office. "When Patrick Hazelton took over for Captain Sisko, everywhere he went people were complaining for months that things weren't getting fixed properly. There were a lot of formal complaints registered specifically stating that 'things just aren't getting done as timely and efficiently as Chief O'Brien and Rom used to do them'."

Miles snorted with laughter. "That's good to hear." He shook his head, remembering all the work he had done when first boarding the abandoned station. "I still can't beat Julian at darts… even when I make him stand back farther so that his genetically enhanced skills are at a disadvantage."

Kira scoffed at him. "So don't play darts… reserve one of the holo-suites at Quark's, and fight the Battle of Britain, or that Klingon K'lAcht deK'el BrAcht incident, or however it's pronounced."

O'Brien laughed uproariously. "Worf would not be impressed with your Klingon language skills," he pointed out. "And no, I think I'll stick to the dartboard for now. I'm going to beat that genetically enhanced Doctor of yours, at least once, before I head back to Earth."

Kira continued to monitor the incoming ships, working briskly as they spoke. "Another quiet day so far," she said with a contented sigh. "The Jem'Hadar seem more and more cautious about poking their noses through the wormhole. Even as strung out as they are without Ketracel-White, the prospect of certain death is proving to be at least a partial deterrent."

"Has exploration of the Gamma Quadrant resumed?"

"Not entirely." The Colonel paused just long enough to verify that all in-flight ships had docked before nodding to the Lieutenant across from her. "You have Ops until the Commander checks in," she told him. Then she returned her attention to O'Brien. "We're still primarily looking for those who went missing – colonists and ships – prior to the start of the war. So any civilian vessel that passes through the wormhole must take an armed escort with it. Unfortunately I don't see any of that changing in the near future."

O'Brien nodded as the two of them stepped into the lift. "The _Saga_ has been assigned to accompany the _Enterprise_ on a mission into the Gamma Quadrant," he pointed out as they began the slow descent out of Ops. "So Worf and I will get a chance to say hello to some of our old colleagues again."

Kira rolled her eyes. "The _Saga_…" she said with a bit of frustration. Amazingly her next words were voiced in a strikingly familiar manner; a frighteningly accurate impression of Nog that O'Brien found very convincing. "The _Volsunga Saga_ is a Prometheus-Class starship – a complex combination of technologies researched by Starfleet and commanded by Captain Henry Goldwolf. In standard configuration, the ship is composed of an arrowhead-shaped primary hull attached directly to a secondary hull supporting four warp nacelles on short pylons in an 'X' configuration. In battle, this ship can go into 'multi-vector assault mode'… a maneuver that divides the vessel into three ships: saucer, upper engineering hull, and lower engineering hull. This allows for the deployment of multiple attack vessels and tactical use of independently moving weapons platforms. The saucer has two small warp nacelles stored in a retracted position while joined, and these extend once the saucer has separated. All three independent vessels can later reconnect into the single, unified starship." She exhaled in frustration. "Did I forget anything?"

O'Brien was laughing so hard he had to set his toolbox down for a moment. "Yes you did," he said between spurts of laughter. "The _Saga_ also has enhanced defenses including ablative armor and regenerative deflector shields," he managed to finish finally, and they both broke down into a non-stop burst of laughing.

After taking a moment to calm down, O'Brien picked up his toolkit. "I'm off to send a message to my wife, and then I'll probably grab something to eat. So I'll be on the Promenade if you want to join me for dinner."

Kira couldn't resist pushing a bit further. "Aren't you itching to take a tour of the _Saga_ like Nog and Worf?" she asked him. "It's one of the most advanced starships in the fleet you know."

"I've been aboard plenty of starships in my day," pointed out O'Brien, his expression growing more serious. "And although he naturally wants a look at the _Volsunga Saga_, it's funny how Worf seems to have nothing on his Klingon Ambassador schedule every time the _Enterprise_ needs a combat experienced tactical officer."

"He used to _live_ on the _Defiant_ while he was assigned here," chuckled Kira. "So I guess I don't blame him for wanting to hang around his _Enterprise_ colleagues from time to time."

O'Brien nodded, his thoughts turning serious. "I'm actually relieved that this particular starship is riding along as escort to the _Enterprise_. It will be like sending along a three starship convoy with Captain Picard."

"Agreed," replied Kira as they stepped out into the habitat ring. "I haven't heard from Ambassador Odo in over three weeks now… the Dominion has a very serious Jem'Hadar problem over on their side of the wormhole. The Gamma Quadrant is still a dangerous place."

"At least for once, Deep Space Nine isn't," decided O'Brien.

Kira thought about that comment, and found herself nodding in agreement.


	9. Faith, Hope & Love

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter VIII: Faith, Hope & Love**

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Rafali Star System, Stardate 54945.6:

* * *

The Rafali transport vessel _Maksotta_ was nearly out of the star system when power in the ship's command center unexpectedly flickered and went out. Governor Ruksin was standing next to Captain Areg Zithel, whereas his wife Tyliyla and their four small children had been escorted to crew quarters several decks below. The sound of the ship's sub-light engines shutting down rumbled through the hull and Villip felt an uneasy surge of fear grip him. He glanced down at the strange crescent moon symbol that had suddenly appeared on the back of his left hand and knew that they were not yet safe.

"What's wrong?" he asked the Captain, who had already moved behind next to the crewman piloting the small vessel.

"I don't know," Zithel said in response as he and the crewman studied the console in front of them. "Power levels all over the ship are dropping to minimal." He checked the statistical readouts, most of which were blinking bright red. "It's got to be our engine core – it seems to have just shut down for some reason."

"_I am called the Vryke, and yes I have shut down your power systems._"

The Rafalian crewman sitting next to the communications station jumped at the sound of the strange voice emerging from the speaker next to his left elbow. The voice was immediately followed by a loud burst of static that crackled for a moment and then faded back to silence. Everyone paused for an instant, shocked by events that were unfolding so quickly and unpredictably.

Governor Ruksin glanced around the ship's small bridge curiously, trying to focus on something physical. But there was nothing unusual to find, no sign that any kind of stranger was among them. Nor did he see the elderly man from the Temple, the one that had first appeared to him when he had visited with the Prime Magnate after services.

"Why didn't you stop us while we were still on Rafali Prime?"

Villip waited patiently for an answer to his question, but all he got in response for a few moments was an unnerving silence. Captain Zithel glanced at him curiously and opened his mouth to say something, but the Governor held up a hand to keep him quiet.

"_You might have changed your mind. I wanted to be certain you were truly a traitor to your people before punishing you._"

Zithel could not contain his emotions any longer. "Governor, what is going on?" he asked emphatically, eyes flashing.

Ruksin ignored the Captain for the moment, focusing instead on the unseen intruder. "Is that why you marked my hand?"

"_Yes. Since you are Rafali I at first intended to spare your life and settle for banishing you from the home world for the rest of your days… to leave you an outcast. But after giving the matter further consideration and observing the relentless manner in which you have so completely betrayed the trust I placed in you, I have decided instead to shut down this ship's power systems. You will all die together, Rafali and Yukshaan, out here in the emptiness of space_."

"Who is that?" demanded Captain Zithel, his face reddening. "Who _is_ he and what is he doing to the control systems of _my_ ship?"

Governor Villip searched his heart thoroughly and then told the truth as completely as he understood it. "I do not totally know for certain," he began slowly. "Something very different… some new type of life form has visited our people. It's some sort of bodiless entity that can at times assume our physical form. It has great powers and seems to use them to further its own agenda. So far most of its larger plan remains unknown to me, but it has the ear of our Prime Magnate and has made use of that influence by convincing him that it is our Father Creator."

"_What?_" Zithel gasped, his astonishment total.

"Normally you wouldn't believe me without proof," Ruksin continued. "Normally no one would believe me." He carefully moved about the control center cautiously, watching the walls, the computers, and the people. There was no sign that anyone else was with them. "But this creature has already demonstrated the depth of its power by speaking to us using our own communications system and by disabling the ship."

"_I can do more_," the Vryke stated arrogantly. "_But I have chosen not to on this occasion._ _I could kill any of you at any time, since the price of disobedience is high. Instead, I have chosen a slow death for you by turning off your life support system. Your computers no longer have power, and I calculate that in less than one hour you will all suffocate_."

Ruksin focused his gaze on the communications station, where the voice was coming from. "Because that's what you do best, isn't it?" he said. "You kill."

"_I punish those who disobey… I seek to lead your people to a new beginning. Those who oppose my efforts to improve your people must be disciplined. All I asked for was your obedience… instead you used your authority to seek power of your own by betraying me and recruiting allies to fight against me_."

The Captain and the rest of the crew continued to watch the exchange between the Governor and his unseen opponent with expressions that varied from puzzlement to extreme fear. It was quite clear to everyone on the bridge of the small transport vessel that their engines _had_ been shut down, and that whatever strange new life form had done so was now using their own Comm-system to speak with them.

"So as you lead us toward our new beginning, you're going to impose a death sentence on anyone whom you feel has betrayed you?"

"_No. There are many levels of discipline. However, your traitorous act in releasing the prisoners must be dealt with severely. The Prime Magnate must and will be supported_…"

"So that he can work our people up into a killing rage?" Ruksin interrupted the voice harshly. He knew that he should not provoke the entity… they were in a hostage situation now and the best thing they could do was to keep calm and not anger it further. But the creature had chosen to visit his world and his people, and he was very angry at its arrogance in appointing itself sole leader of his people. He was also furious that it was claiming to be their Father Creator, all while it continually committed atrocities in his good name. "I've heard almost all of the sermons during recent months, and they _aren't _encouraging Rafalians to live, love and eat."

"_Derryn Akseth is the one I have chosen to lead your people to a new beginning. Follow him and you will thrive in a paradise beyond imagination…_."

"A paradise that I don't get to see," the Governor replied. He waved his hands at the other people on the bridge. "None of us get to see this new utopia of yours, since that is the price you are planning to charge for my _individual_ act of disobedience. Because of me, you're going to impose a death sentence on everyone aboard the _Maksotta_."

There was a pause before the creature spoke again. "_And the Yukshaan._"

"Ah yes, our supposed _enemy_." Ruksin's tone grew angrier. "You've had the Prime Magnate stirring folks up for months now, haven't you? How long were you hiding in our Temple… the Temple _Of_ The _People?_"

"_I was not hiding_…"

"_Liar!_" His voice boomed in response.

The air was already growing stale, and the Governor knew that they did not have much time. There was no other choice but to try and force his opponent to realize that what it was doing was wrong. Using rational, logical thought to argue with someone who was behaving irrationally did not generally work… Ruksin suddenly found himself wishing that he had educated himself better in psychology. _What kind of mind must this creature have to be so vindictive… so full of hatred?_

"_I was not hiding. I was not. The Prime Magnate and I want to make sure the people are prepared and ready to welcome me in accordance with custom before I make myself known to them. They have not yet been_…"

"According to Akseth you have only shown yourself to _him_," pointed out the Governor. "Then you appeared to me, behaving in as friendly a matter as possible. Is it coincidental that you brought me into your secret club because Derryn's plans have reached the point where he now needs political power in addition to his stature in the religious community? You cannot lead unless you have the cooperation of both the government and our military, right?"

"_You could have been one of us… you could have helped us lead the Rafali to greatness._"

Ruksin shrugged. "I still can. I am _still_ Governor of Damoklis city. Derryn cannot remove me from power without the approval of the people. We hold elections to decide those matters… he can use his influence to support my opponents, but he cannot take away my position. Only _you_ can, and you can do so only because you have abilities that I do not. According to you I have committed a capital crime by choosing to think about things, use my own intellect, and make an honest decision as to whether or not we should support you. For that you label me an enemy as easily as you condemn the Yukshaan and the Stefe'en… most of whom are good people whom I have done business with on many occasions." Villip continued walking calmly about as he spoke, getting rid of his nervous energy and making certain that if anyone got angry it was his opponent. "Because I _want_ to see more, to learn more about you before throwing my support to your cause… for that, you are condemning me and everyone aboard this vessel to death?"

One of the crew members, a thin, dark-haired young man with wide eyes suddenly spoke up. "The Yukshaan _are_ our enemy… theirs is a society of excess. They regularly _sin_ against the laws written in our sacred texts…" "We have _seen_ it with our own eyes Governor."

Ruksin turned on the man. "For every one of them you would condemn we can also find a Rafali who is just as wicked. Have _you _never broken any of the laws? Have you never consumed too much ale while off-duty? Have you never desired a beautiful woman who was not your wife and fantasized about a relationship with her?" The man paled at the questions from the Governor and the accusatory tone with which he posed them. "The truth is that _none_ of us are perfect people in our society, and we as a people have chosen our policies of isolationism. Thus if our economy functions less perfectly than those of the Yukshaan and Stefe'en, it is _not_ their fault. It is simply part of the burden that we willingly accept when we choose to more closely abide by the sacred texts. Whether the Father Creator will reward us and punish them, only death after a long and peaceful life can tell. That is _not _your decision to make, nor is it mine. It never has been, even when our people fought the ancient wars."

"_The decision is mine. I am the Father Creator. I am older than you can possibly imagine_."

Ruksin was shaking with rage. "No you are _not_ the Father Creator!" he screamed. "I have never been more certain of anything in my life. You are a _coward_ and a _bully_ who hides among us, revealing yourself only when you can no longer manipulate us from the shadows. If anything, you are a _devil_…"

"_Words are useless against me. Your time runs out. I can wait an eternity if necessary… I have in fact already waited an eternity. A few more seasons on your world do not concern me_."

It felt noticeably warmer in the command center, but Governor Ruksin suspected that this was simply his body reacting as the lack of oxygen became more pronounced. He clenched his fists together in fierce anger, feeling utterly helpless but remaining defiant. "You can kill me and everyone on this ship," he admitted. "You can spread chaos and mayhem on my world in retaliation for anyone who chooses not to obey you. But you will _need_ the Rafali government's cooperation in order to succeed, and our government is composed of many legislative bodies. There are _hundreds_ of leaders among my people, and many will react with doubt and skepticism in the same manner as I have. I will not help you, and neither will a great many of them..."

"_You will die, and those who also choose your path will follow just as quickly._"

"Then you are most certainly _not_ the Father Creator," growled Ruksin irritably. The lack of oxygen was getting to him, so he scanned the bridge until he found an empty chair and quickly sat down in it. "I'm glad we've gotten that matter settled, if nothing else."

Captain Zithel had been listening very attentively to the exchange, and he moved to stand next to the Governor. "You do not know what this thing is?" he asked.

Ruksin shook his head. "No," he said. "And in recent days I've been having problems with my own faith in this matter." He held up his left hand so that the Captain could see the black crescent moon symbol that had somehow been painlessly burned into his skin. "The Prime Magnate brought Yukshaan crewmen and women down from their captured starship, and he was planning on torturing them – has tortured some of them – in an attempt to dehumanize our enemy and work our own soldiers into a killing rage. I have known that this creature was among us for only two days, so there was little I could do except to rescue as many innocent people as possible and warn the other members of the Trade Coalition that there is a devil hiding on Rafali Prime."

Zithel nodded in understanding. "You are a man of compassion, and acted to spare their lives."

The Governor put his head into his hands. "Yes," he said. "And this thing has put a mark upon me in retaliation, and now intends to kill everyone who is a part of this effort. I am powerless to stop it… helpless…"

Captain Zithel glanced around the bridge, watching the faces of his crew as they witnessed the entire exchange. Then he shifted his eyes to the communications system. "I defy you too, whatever creature or spirit you may be," he declared.

"_Irrelevant. You will all die_."

"Then you shall only deliver us unto our _true_ Father Creator," observed Ruksin, raising his head angrily. "He has _told_ us so in our sacred texts. Those who believe, those who have faith and trust in his wisdom will be delivered into everlasting Paradise."

As he spoke Villip suddenly felt a surge of elation run through him, like liquid electricity. He had no idea what was going on, having never felt such exhilaration before. It seemed as though his entire body was tingling, from the tips of his fingers all the way down to his toes. A soft, bluish green sparkle – something he was instinctively certain had nothing to do with hallucinations created by oxygen deprivation – enveloped every person sitting on the bridge. The shimmering effect was accompanied by a brisk, electronic hiss and his vision quickly vanished behind bright, white light. Ruksin closed his eyes to protect them, and when he opened them again the familiar view of the Rafali command center was gone. He was still in a seated position but his chair was gone, so he toppled over backwards onto a cold metal floor.

To his and the crews' astonishment, the Governor and his people were no longer aboard the _Maksotta_. Even the rescued members of the captured Yukshaan crew were among them. They were all standing together in some sort of massive room with barrel-like yellow and blue canisters stacked alongside two walls. On a third wall there was a lot of strange, dark looking technological equipment with flickering green energy signatures sparkling inside large green ovals near the top. The fourth had a massive doorway in its center.

A strange looking man in a dark uniform with bright gold fabric around the shoulder area stepped forward. He had pale golden skin and strange, dark yellowish-orange eyes that none of them had ever seen before. Beside him stood an attractive woman with long blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun tied firmly at the base of her neck. The man smiled almost shyly at them and waved a hand around the room. "Welcome aboard the starship _Voyager_," he said pleasantly. "My name is Commander Data, this is Seven of Nine, and you are standing in Cargo Bay Two."

* * *

_The Vryke sat inside the sparkling Enumalis crystal on the Rafali home world, trying desperately to figure out what had just happened. It had used the growing abilities of its new 'body' to reach far out into the star system and grab hold of the fleeing _Maksotta_. As expected, it caught Governor Ruksin completely by surprise, even after he had thought himself free from its clutches. It held everyone on the ship hostage, and slowly it grew sated with pleasure on the terror they felt. It argued with them while they slowly died from lack of heat and atmosphere, knowing that its secret was contained. Only Akseth and Ruksin knew about its presence, and very shortly the Governor's knowledge of its existence would no longer be a concern._

_To their credit the humanoids did not whimper and beg… long ago it had known lower life forms that would do so, and perhaps some of these beings eventually would. But in this era of the galaxy it had thus far not encountered those kinds; most of the life forms were led by people of strong character who were not easily swayed or manipulated. The Vryke had not explored far enough to know for sure whether or not the weak-minded still existed, but right now that was a lower priority. From the safety of Rafali Prime it argued back and forth with the Governor, watching him get more and more emotionally rattled while both he and the rest of them slowly ran out of breathable air. _

_The Vryke was growing more confident and very powerful; it wanted to see Ruksin _suffer _for his defiance. The creature was continuing to replicate copies of itself, and thus the new energy-based components of its body continued to grow, transform themselves, and assume varying roles. An overall form was taking shape; it was fast becoming the creature that had once roamed the galaxy back in those long ago days when the Questar pod ship had flown proudly among the shining stars. _

_Its growing presence had spread all the way to the very edge of the Rafali star system. Fourteen planets in total orbited the central sun, but the Vryke could already 'see' everything moving between them. With starships now completely under control and at its disposal, the 'brain' copies hiding in the Enumalis – including the original Vryke entity – would soon be able to board a ship at any time and travel anywhere within the Yukshaan Trade Coalition. Perhaps someday, once this region had been forged into its new Empire, it would travel even farther still._

Then something completely unexpected happened.

_Active, focused energy beams from seemingly out of nowhere targeted the humanoids aboard the _Maksotta _and transported them somewhere… _somewhere unknown_. Enraged it came to life with a roar, following the familiar pattern of the transporter signature back to its source and fully intending to crush whatever had dared interrupt its plans. But nothing was there. _Nothing_. The transporter energy dissipated as quickly as it had begun, and the Vryke held in its grasp a powerless, useless Rafali transport with no people on board. Not a soul could be found anywhere on its decks._

Where had the people gone?

How had Governor Ruksin defeated him?

_Transporter beams were certainly not new to it, but the lack of another ship in the area as their source was. Its influence now spanned virtually all of the space in a huge spherical bubble around the Rafali sun, far surpassing the orbit of the outermost planet in the system. If even so much as an escape pod with basic thrusters moved within that region, the Vryke had expected to be capable of detecting it instantaneously. It was an energy-based creature, after all, so sensing sources of man-made, technology-based energy was second nature to it. Yet _somehow_, using _something_ new and completely unknown to it, _someone_ had temporarily defeated its plans. Boiling over with anger and uncontrolled hatred, the Vryke focused its attention on the area surrounding the small Rafali space vessel and began a comprehensive search pattern spiraling outward. Still it found nothing but it did not quit looking._

_Someone had interfered with its plan to punish, so that unknown someone was now _first_ on its list of enemies._

* * *

Villip Ruksin watched the newcomers warily. The size and complexity of their amazing starship was awesome, and it was obviously manned by very intelligent, highly trained individuals. Shortly after they were 'transported' aboard _Voyager_, Commander Data and the woman called Seven escorted them all to the ship's Sickbay for a quick medical check. As they walked through the wide, spacious corridors of the vessel, he was again struck by the odd-looking appearance of his rescuers… particularly the male.

"What kind of being are you?" Ruksin asked curiously. "Are you from a world near ours?"

"No, I am not," replied Data matter of factly. "In fact, I am not technically a humanoid being at all. I am an android… very sophisticated and sentient, but nonetheless a construction."

This revelation startled the governor. "You're a _robot_?"

"An _android_," Data corrected him politely. "I assure you I am a living, thinking life form as capable as any of you. In many ways I am superior in fact."

Ruksin nodded. "We have met off-worlders from outside the Trade Coalition before… most do not stay around long. Especially on Rafali Prime they are rare, since my society tends to keep mostly to itself. Our religious teachings warn of corruption by those of other faiths and I'm afraid that many of my people take it far too seriously."

"Many races have shared your experiences."

The Governor pointed to a white, metallic device attached to Data's right arm, up near the shoulder. "And that?" he asked. "What does that do?"

"It is a necessary, precautionary safeguard," Data told him. "The creature that hides among your people has many fascinating abilities, not the least of which is the ability to control sophisticated computer systems. Thus, since that is basically what I am, this device produces an electrostatic barrier around my body capable of deflecting magnetic properties that match the electronic signature of the entity. Should the creature somehow manage to board _Voyager_, this shield will protect me from becoming just another piece of technology that it can use and control."

"_It_ calls itself 'the Vryke'," Ruksin pointed out. He continued to study the armband that Data wore and its curious flashing green lights. Suddenly his eyes widened. "If we could build _more _of those…" the prospect of having some sort of actual defense against the creature suddenly became a possibility to him, as opposed to the futile feelings of helplessness that he had been forced to endure up until now. The Governor grabbed Data's arm suddenly. "But if the Vryke can seize control of my vessel it can also seize control of _yours!_ We are _still_ in great danger here in the space near my home world…"

Data paused long enough to allow Ruksin a moment to settle down. "We are quite safe here," he said reassuringly to the Rafalian. "Our starship has electrostatic countermeasures in place using technology very similar to my protective armband. We are hidden from the creature's view by what is known as a cloaking device. It projects a shield of invisibility around our vessel to prevent the entity from detecting our presence, so if this Vryke of yours cannot see us then it is highly unlikely the entity even knows we are here."

Captain Zithel had been walking behind the Governor. "You're sure about that?" he asked. "The creature seized total control of our vessel in seconds… we could do nothing to stop it."

Commander Data smiled. "I am positive," he said. "I was the one who brought the necessary schematics for the cloaking device along with me when I recently joined _Voyager_'s crew. You are among very kind, capable people that have a great deal of experience dealing with alien life forms. They developed the electrostatic shield technology currently protecting us."

Ruksin, Zithel, and the Yukshaan's Captain Dunammen followed Data into Sickbay. Several members of the command crew were there, namely Janeway, Chakotay, and Tuvok. The Doctor was also present, bustling back and forth as he "tsk tsked" about all the unnecessary people crowded into his limited working space. Both he and Paris immediately began scanning the injured Yukshaan soldiers, noting that the three men who had been severely beaten on Rafali Prime had already been treated appropriately by the _Maksotta_'s own physician. The transport's Doctor was an elderly, nervous individual who stepped forward and offered his assistance.

Captain Janeway introduced herself, provided everyone with a brief history of the Federation, and immediately pledged to do everything she could to assist the Rafali government in battling the alien threat to its sovereignty. Governor Ruksin nodded, grateful for the assistance. "Tell me Captain," he said great interest. "What manner of technology did you utilize to remove us from our vessel? Truly it was a remarkable experience."

"It's called a transporter," Janeway responded. "It converts matter to energy and then back again, but at a different location. Initially our people used it primarily to move large amounts of cargo back and forth, but it was eventually improved to accommodate living beings."

"It is truly a remarkable piece of technology," noted Captain Dunammen. "Perhaps you would share its design with us… the Trade Coalition could make great use of such a device."

Janeway raised an eyebrow. "But then, my good Captain, you already have such a device on several of your ships," she corrected him. "You simply haven't chosen to share that knowledge with the Rafali or the Stefe'en yet."

Dunammen reddened with sudden embarrassment. "The project is still classified by my government," he said clumsily, trying to regain his composure. "How did you find out?"

"Let's just say our sensors are very sophisticated too," pointed out Chakotay. "We can see things that your ships cannot. If we are all to bargain in good faith together during this crisis and save lives, then please remember that in order for us to trust your words you must make certain that you speak only words that can be trusted."

"I will pass along your recommendation to the representatives of my government," promised the Yukshaan starship Captain. He still looked a bit rattled at the revelation that the _Voyager _crew could discover his secrets so easily, but his offer seemed genuine.

With the initial diplomatic formalities concluded, Villip Ruksin went back out into the corridor and returned leading a strong-looking, middle-aged woman and four children ranging in ages from six to sixteen. Ruksin had three sons, the youngest of which was glowing with astonishment as he studied the sheer size and complexity of _Voyager_. A pair of twin boys were the next oldest at thirteen, and the Governor's sixteen year old daughter was his eldest child.

"This is my family," he said with great pride. "Please make certain that they are well taken care of. It would truly devastate me if anything happened to them because of the decisions I have made on this matter."

"We're _fine_ Villip," insisted Tyliyla. She had shoulder length blonde hair, bright brown eyes and smiled cheefully as she put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I just wish I knew a little more about what was going on… that's all. Perhaps you will take a moment to tell me?"

"Evil has found its way to our world, I am afraid." For the moment, that was all he would say on the matter.

The Doctor was busy scanning all of the newcomers, one by one. He paused when he reached the Governor and scowled as he checked the tricorder readings. "I'm afraid explanations are going to have to wait," he said briskly. "The Governor has elevated blood pressure and is showing signs of acute stress and anxiety disorder." He gestured toward one of the side bio-beds. "Please have a seat while I prepare the proper medication needed to settle you down."

Ruksin nodded, his face still a bit pale. "That _thing_ claimed to be the Father Creator of my people," he said with great trepidation. "My heart has not slowed to a normal pace since. I did not know what to do at first… it claimed that it was God and can do things that normal men cannot. How am I to know if he truly is our supreme deity or is not? How is a mere working man such as me supposed to make that determination?"

The Doctor continued taking readings, then finally set the tricorder down and prepared an injection. As the hypospray hissed against the Governor's arm, his tone became much more compassionate. "I think you did well," the Doctor commented truthfully. "There are many in any society who would have been paralyzed with inaction when faced with the situation you were in." He watched more people file into Sickbay and patted the Governor on the back. "You saved all of these people!" he pointed out. "_You_ did, by choosing to take action."

The Governor shook his head in disagreement. "_This_ starship and its crew rescued me and my people," he countered. "All I did was lead many lives to the brink of disaster, and I have been marked in the process for my effort." He held up his left hand so that The Doctor could see the dark, crescent moon shape that had appeared on the surface of his skin.

Janeway paused by the bedside, her usual determined expression present. "We've journeyed a long way through space during our time here on _Voyager_, and if I've learned one thing during our travels it's that things aren't always as frightening as they might first appear. Further study and a detailed analysis is usually the best course of action." She leaned over and whispered. "I've found it much more preferable than panicking."

Ruksin used his right hand to point at the dark marking on the back of his left. "What if _you_ are wrong and that creature hiding on my planet really _is_ the Father Creator?" he asked. "What if I _have_ been marked as an outcast from my people, perhaps even damned to the underworld when my time comes to journey into the afterlife?"

The Doctor frowned with disapproval, and responded by picking up a small, portable dermal regenerator. He ran the soft red glow of its healing field over the back of the Governor's left hand. As he did so the dark crescent moon image faded and eventually disappeared entirely. "You see?" he said with obvious satisfaction. "I've made you all better. Does that make me more powerful than your Father Creator?" His voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Perhaps you should kneel before me now and say a prayer or two..."

Janeway frowned. "Doctor…"

Ruksin stared with astonishment at the healed skin on his hand, and his anxiety began to fade for the first time since he had made the decision to enter the Temple and release the Yukshaan prisoners. "This… this truly is a _miracle_. Thank you Doctor."

The Doctor shook his head. "You had a minor radiation burn, and healing damaged skin tissue is most definitely _not_ a miracle," he responded. "I simply have expertise and devices that your people do not. The entity hiding on your planet is the exact same type of situation – it has abilities that none of us do, so on the surface it may seem extremely powerful. That does not automatically elevate it to God status, even though it might think so. All of its actions so far indicate that it has a tremendous ego… an ego that has risen to a level I never thought that I would see beyond my own Father Creator." His thoughts drifted briefly to Dr. Lewis Zimmerman back at Jupiter Station.

"Thank you for healing my hand," said Governor Ruksin sincerely. "I feel as though you have restored my soul as well."

The Doctor continued to access the psychological files in his holographic database as he conversed with the Governor. The man had been through an awful lot in just a few days, and his spiritual faith had been tested and shaken nearly to its breaking point. Calming him down was the first step, after which he would release the man from Sickbay.

Commander Chakotay appeared out of the crowd, introduced himself, and offered his hand to Captain Zithel. The man looked down with a questioning glance at first, and then tentatively accepted it. Chakotay shook hands warmly, smiling at the man. "I would appreciate it if you and Captain Dunammen would follow me to one of our conference rooms," he said. "We have delegations aboard from both Yukshaan and Stefe'en, and as soon as the Governor is able to join us I would like to begin discussing options for dealing with the entity occupying the Rafali home world. In the meantime we can offer your people some guest quarters and a bite to eat."

"I think that is a splendid idea Commander," said Zithel gratefully.

* * *

Alpha Quadrant, Deep Space Station Nine, Stardate 54945.6:

(Upper Docking Pylon Two)

* * *

Miles Edward O'Brien opened the docking port doors along the starboard side of the _Enterprise_'s secondary hull just long enough to admit Colonel Kira and Dr. Julian Bashir. They were in a large cargo area adjacent to the rear hangar bay, so O'Brien paused for a moment to let them look past the waist-high hand rails and down toward the vast array of shuttles and runabouts parked at the rear of the large starship.

"We meet again Chief… postponing your return to Earth I see," commented Kira as she carefully began a curious survey of Captain Picard's new starship.

O'Brien smirked and patted the jacket of his very familiar looking gold and black petty officer's uniform. "It's called a temporary re-enlistment," he pointed out. "I'm told that to bypass red tape they set me up on an _indefinite _basis. So I told Keiko that if I don't come back within a month or two, it's all Captain Picard's fault."

Bashir was also studying the large starship's interior, but he took a moment to smile at the Chief. "I'm surprised Keiko let you come along at all," he decided. "She's usually very strongly opposed to you going anywhere near even temporary assignments where the Jem'Hadar are concerned."

O'Brien nodded. "The fact that she gave in so easily should give you an indication as to just how badly my gardening around the house has been. Molly and Kirayoshi are doing much better at keeping the plants alive, and since they both take after Keiko she thinks that this is a good opportunity for me to visit some old friends and stretch my space legs again for a few weeks… even if I end up back in the Gamma Quadrant."

"Really? She approves of an assignment leading into potentially dangerous territory?" Kira began walking alongside O'Brien and Bashir as the three of them moved to the nearest turbolift.

"Keiko wouldn't have approved if I was on just anybody's ship," responded the Chief with a wink. "Sometimes I think she trusts Captain Picard more than she trusts me!"

Dr. Julian Bashir was all smiles. "I've been continuing my work on a solution to the Ketracel-White addiction of the Jem'Hadar and have made remarkable progress. Dr. Crusher is reviewing my work and we're going to try and put an end to the non-stop violence that continues to destabilize the Gamma Quadrant."

"Well Worf arrived just a few minutes before you two did," O'Brien informed them. "And he came aboard just in time… I'm told we're leaving DS9 in less than an hour." A thought struck him and he glanced curiously at the Colonel. "Where's Nog? Didn't Commander Hazelton assign him to come along? That young go-getter had his heart set on this mission; it's going to break his heart if he has to stay behind…"

Kira smiled. "Oh he got to come along all right," she told him with a chuckle. "Starfleet's still busy training new recruits after the losses taken during the Dominion War, so he's on a temporary assignment of his own. Captain Goldwolf invited both him and Commander Data aboard the _Volsunga Saga_. Once we're in the Gamma Quadrant and the ship separates, Nog gets to command the _Saga-2_ and Commander Data will be in charge of the _Saga-3_."

Bashir turned his head attentively at the news. "I had thought that the ship's multi-vector attack capabilities were completely computer coordinated… are you saying they're not?"

Kira laughed. "Computers can be shut off when you want to fly manually. That's a tactical decision made by the _Captain_," she pointed out. "If I had my way, a computer would never be in charge of coordinating _anything_… they're not nearly as unpredictable and imaginative as we biological life forms are."

O'Brien found himself also chuckling. "Nog's assignment probably didn't go over too well with Worf."

"Let's just say he had a tough choice to make," noted Kira. "I wouldn't have wanted to make that decision – stay at his tactical position on the _Enterprise_ or serve on the _Saga_."

The Chief laughed at her comment, pointing toward the decks above them. "Well he's made his choice. I hear he's already up there on the bridge, pulling a duty shift."

"He's a very loyal man," observed Bashir. "He talks about Captain Sisko and Captain Picard all the time… he admires them both very much."

They entered a turbolift that promptly began rising speedily and efficiently toward a deck with guest quarters. As they waited patiently for their destination, Kira looked expectantly at Dr. Bashir. "Didn't Ezri want to come along?"

Bashir shrugged. "At first she did, but the _Enterprise_ already has a counselor assigned to it," he pointed out. "She also mentioned that she didn't want to be a distraction to Worf during what could be a tough mission. After all, he's still dealing with his feelings for both her and Jadzia."

The Colonel nodded. "That's perfectly understandable," she decided. "Commander Hazelton has had her working on several diplomatic projects anyway, so I guess she'll be very busy while we're away."

The lift paused its vertical movement and shifted to a horizontal course for another moment until it slowed once again near the _Enterprise_'s guest quarters. O'Brien watched with amusement as the lift doors snapped open. "Captain Picard has a meeting scheduled shortly after we reach the Gamma Quadrant, so I hope no one needs a nap."

Bashir rubbed his hands together. "I don't know about the Colonel, but I came to work," he said enthusastically.

"Right," Chief O'Brien grinned. "Some of that frontier medicine, I believe you call it." He led both of them out into the corridor and toward their assigned quarters.

* * *

Alpha Quadrant, Deep Space Station Nine, Stardate 54945.7:

* * *

Captain Jean Luc Picard sat in his ready room, a fresh cup of Earl Grey tea setting in front of him. His workstation had finished downloading classified data newly transmitted from Starfleet. He had been told that he was receiving telemetry from _Columbia_ as it had first been transmitted through the wormhole by the search team that discovered the NX-02 in the Gamma Quadrant. The crew had taken the dangerous risk knowing full well that it would draw the attention of Dominion forces, and – shortly after they completed the transmission – an enemy ship had located and destroyed them.

Glancing toward the nearby window, he noticed that the skeletal structure of Deep Space Nine was beginning to fall behind them. The lights from its central core, as well as those in the habitat and docking rings, continued to shine brightly as the massive space station faded slowly into the distance. The _Enterprise_ was underway, and it wouldn't take long before Captain Goldwolf and the _Volsunga Saga_ moved out to join them. Returning his attention to the computer, Picard accessed the classified data.

"Computer, play from the beginning…"

"_Captain's Log, February 23, 2156. _Columbia_ is currently en route to investigate a distress signal we received that appears to have originated near Tau Ceti. Normally there isn't a lot of heavy traffic in that region…"_

"Computer pause." Picard picked up his teacup with his right hand and took a sip, while bringing up a picture of Captain Erika Hernandez with his left. He studied her personnel file carefully, noting that she was a rugged woman with a hard edge to her. The people of that time, even with limited technology, had not been easily defeated. "Fast forward to time index 1400 and resume playback," he ordered.

"_Captain's Log, Emergency Supplemental. An unknown life form has come aboard _Columbia_ and initially took control of our primary bridge stations. It is an energy-based being and apparently has the capability to interact with and take control of our main computer. Once it gained control of our systems, the entity used our phase cannons to destroy the Tellarite freighter that we were sent to rescue. All hands aboard had already been lost, so the entity was simply getting rid of the evidence. To prevent this from occurring again, we immediately disconnected the power supply to all key bridge stations. _

_As it did with the Tellarite vessel, the entity targeted our warp core in an attempt to force us to comply with its demands. We restricted all access to primary systems, mandating prefix code and keyboard access for all commands. To minimize hostage potential, we've set up an auxiliary bridge control in main engineering… we're making our stand there. If the creature wants to kill us, it's going to have to kill all of us and that will leave it stranded here._

_The entity appears to have passed through a nearby sub-space rupture, and my science officer thinks that it somehow tunneled outward from elsewhere in the galaxy. Gravity emerging from the rupture is off the scale, and Lt. Wakefield told me she's virtually certain that the other side of the wormhole emerges somewhere near the edge of our galaxy. I don't have a choice… one way or another we have to keep this creature away from inhabited worlds. I had thought about crashing _Columbia_ on a pre-industrial world, but I am certain the entity would eventually find a way to escape. As soon as a warp-capable starship stopped by, this crisis would simply become someone else's problem. I am therefore ordering my people to take us into the rupture. The gravity on the other side is immense, but if my pilot earns his pay today we'll get through in one piece. If not… well… the destruction of this energy being has become my top priority. One way or another, we're taking it back where it came from."_

The recording ended and Picard sat for a moment, deep in thought. That was it… the fact that Captain Hernandez had maintained the presence of mind to make an emergency log entry at all during that kind of crisis was impressive enough. Since no one had heard from the creature again – Kirk's _Enterprise_ mission at its Questar home being the only exception – he was fairly certain that the crew of the NX-02 had been successful.

_What was so special about Questar?_

_And why had _Columbia_ ended up stranded on the other side of the galaxy? _

He pondered those questions while he listed what little information there was on a data pad for a meeting to be held as soon as they reached the Gamma Quadrant. The sensor records from the NX-02 were also not much help… the ship's limited capabilities had detected primarily magnetism along with minute fluctuations between normal and abnormal hull polarization. There was also a lot of data regarding a large electronic disturbance that had interfered with both local and long-range communications, preventing Hernandez from calling for additional assistance.

That last fact was a tragic irony… these days Starfleet subspace transmitters were so much more sophisticated. There was no way the level of interference recorded at that time and logged in the database could have stopped a modern vessel from calling for help. Picard continued to study the information from Starfleet, noting that the creature's energy signature as initially recorded by _Columbia_ matched the pattern on record from Kirk's _Enterprise_… it was virtually identical.

However, only hours after the entity had come aboard the NX-02 its pattern had changed substantially. Once it settled around their warp core it had continued to grow steadily, increasing toward the point where Spock had theorized in his own log that the creature would be capable of reproduction. So why, years later at Questar, had the entity returned to its original size and shape? Either it consumed at least some of the energy that comprised it, or it had gradually reverted back to a more primitive state while stranded in the gravity well.

Picard frowned as he drank the last of his tea, wondering whether he should permit himself a second cup. Then he noticed the temporal displacement… readings that would have confused _Columbia_'s crew, but data he himself was very familiar with. The sub-space rupture had tunneled back through time – its other end originated in the _future_. That was the secret here, he realized as he remembered Spock's comments about how easily the being had absorbed the contents of their library files. The entity had journeyed back through time and attacked _Columbia after_ meeting Kirk, probably using knowledge stolen from the old _Enterprise_.

A sharp, unexpected flash lit up the windows with a bright green array of shifting energy patterns. The _Enterprise_ had entered the Bajoran wormhole and was moving very rapidly toward the other side – entering the Gamma Quadrant. During the course of the Dominion War, Captain Picard and his crew had spent virtually all of their time defending the Alpha Quadrant. As ordered by Starfleet, they had moved back and forth between all of the various hotspots assigned to them, putting out fires wherever an advanced starship with his crew's experience was needed. Thus, this was their first trip through the Bajoran wormhole and he stood up to glance out the window at the odd swirling streams of energy moving past them. He was still staring at the magnificent, wondrous sight…

* * *

…_when he suddenly noticed his ready room fade away, replaced by a brilliant, white light. He glanced down and didn't appear to be standing on anything solid; everything around him was totally white. The sound of his own breathing was the only sound immediately obvious. Other than that he appeared to have been transported to – well, to nowhere._

"_What's going on?" the Captain asked curiously. He waited a few more seconds and then asked the question again, this time using a tone that would be considered a bit more demanding. "What's going on?" he asked insistently. "Where am I?"_

"_Hello again Captain."_

_Picard turned and noticed the other man in the Starfleet uniform standing behind him; someone he immediately recognized. "Captain Sisko," he declared with familiarity. "It's good to see you are alive and well. We have heard conflicting rumors since you vanished from the Alpha Quadrant."_

_Sisko nodded his head. "I am… well," he said as his face took on an expression of grave concern. "But I am also worried, and lonely."_

"_I can understand your cause for concern. The circumstances of your disappearance left everyone puzzled, and many are people who care about you a great deal. Do you have plans to leave this…" Picard waved his hands around at the white nothingness surrounding them. "…place soon?"_

"_This is called the Celestial Temple of the Prophets by the Bajorans," noted Sisko with a small smile. "I now know it to be much more than that; a place inhabited by advanced life forms capable of creating and doing many wondrous things." He frowned as he took a deep breath. "But they do not yet understand us, or our way of life."_

_Picard watched Benjamin Sisko curiously, remembering the first time he had met the man upon his initial assignment to Deep Space Nine. Sisko had been so very angry then, so very bitter._

"_I remember those times too Captain," he said, as though reading Picard's mind. "Suffice it to say that – over the years – I have come to understand what it is to be a Captain, particularly the tough decisions that sometimes need to be made. Since you and I last spoke, I have myself been in many situations that could be considered just as controversial as your Wolf 359 experience. Thus I deeply regret my initial judgment and condemnation of you… my wife's death was the Borg's fault and not yours. I think I knew it all along, but I couldn't admit it until recently."_

"_I'm very grateful to hear that," Picard decided. "But I hope you didn't bring me all the way here just to apologize. Why am I here? Are you coming back to us?"_

_Sisko shook his head. "I can't. I was falling to my death in the fire caves on Bajor when the Prophets intervened and saved me. They did so because I prevented a great evil from escaping into the Alpha Quadrant, an evil that is just as dangerous as that which you currently seek additional information on. You will find what you need in the Gamma Quadrant, but Bajor's Prophets still need me here – at least for the time being."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because they are learning about us even as you and I hold this conversation; my presence here speeds the matter along considerably. If I had not acted to prevent the escape of the pah-wraiths at the conclusion of the war, the Alpha Quadrant would have been overrun with death and destruction as great as if the Dominion had prevailed. I should have died in my efforts to prevent that from happening, but the Prophets chose to intervene and save me… thus I owe them a debt of gratitude."_

_Picard folded his arms in front of him and gazed firmly into the friendly eyes of the other man. "Whether you realize it or not, Captain Sisko, you have abandoned people who sincerely miss you… including a wife and a newborn daughter. You also have a son living on Earth, a _proud_ son who loves his father deeply."_

_Sisko nodded. "As you pass through the wormhole, I have an opportunity to speak. That is why I have brought you here."_

_The Captain raised his eyebrows in frustration. "Then do so… talk to me."_

"_I want you to take care of my family while I'm gone… _you_ personally." Sisko put a hand on Picard's shoulder. "I once judged you unfairly, so now I want to make amends by trusting you with all I hold dear. I must stay here for awhile longer, but don't misunderstand…" His expression was filled with resolve. "I most definitely intend to someday soon return to the Alpha Quadrant. Until that time, I would greatly appreciate it if you would look after my family – specifically Kasidy Yates and my children."_

"_They miss you terribly Captain… you should come back _now_."_

_Sisko shook his head and tears welled up in his eyes. "I want to… but I have obligations here that must be fulfilled first."_

_Picard exhaled with deep frustration. "You took one of the toughest assignments in Starfleet history, stuck with the Bajoran people through their darkest hour, risked your life countless times, and assisted the Federation in winning a war against one of its greatest enemies in our history. What _more_ must you do Captain? _What is more important right now than your family?_"_

"Nothing!_" Sisko replied firmly. "Do you really think any of this matters to me, after what I've been through?" He frowned deeply. "The aliens in here can see beyond normal linear time, and I trust them. They have told me that everything will be okay and that I will see my family again. So I have one final duty to perform… one final diplomatic mission here in the Celestial Temple of Bajor's prophets. I owe it to them in exchange for saving my life… if they hadn't, my wife and children would be without me forever."_

_Picard waved a hand at the white emptiness around him. "These aliens are the same beings that made an entire Dominion war fleet vanish?"_

"_Yes," Sisko confirmed. "Do you see? They have _helped _us maintain order in our house, so how can I refuse their request to help them learn more about us? If great threats loom on the horizon again, I want them to be able to lend us a hand."_

"_If this is a first contact mission, we have many ambassadors who would be willing to take your place," Picard countered. "Surely these aliens wouldn't mind dealing with someone else… someone who does not have the family obligations that you do. We could set up a rotating schedule of volunteers…"_

_Sisko shook his head. "Although I did not know it during childhood, my mother was one of them. I was born specifically for this role and now must play it out in its entirety. If I do not then no one else can… that's why I need you to look after them – especially my son Jake. He was a different boy after he lost his mother… we coped together but it wasn't the same. Now I have again left a void that must be filled."_

_Picard nodded. "I do understand about family," he told Sisko. "I lost my brother and a nephew in a tragic accident… it was a devastating experience." His eyes filled with emotion for just a moment and then his expression returned to normal. "I will do everything I can," he promised sincerely. "Your wife and daughter are fine… they are living in the house you had constructed on Bajor for your planned retirement." He thought for a moment, remembering events from the Starfleet news chatter. "There is a lot of talk about renewing Bajor's petition for membership in the Federation. Starfleet will therefore be holding many meetings aboard Deep Space Nine, and I believe your son is a journalist…"_

"_When times are tough he hides with his grandfather by working in our restaurant on Earth," affirmed Sisko. "If he could visit his mother, at least once in a while then she would be greatly comforted during my absence. They could comfort each other."_

"_I'll see to it Captain," promised Picard. "The next time the _Enterprise_ returns to Deep Space Nine, I'll make certain that Jake Sisko visits his mother… even if I have to go all the way back to Earth and transport him aboard ship myself."_

"_Someday soon I will return and make everything all right," declared Sisko firmly. "It won't be much longer… the members of my family are so precious to me I'm planning to spend as much time with them as I have left. But I must do this first… a lot depends upon it, and we owe these aliens my help as payback for the tremendous assistance they have provided to us in the past."_

_Picard nodded with understanding…_

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, Wormhole entrance, Stardate 54945.7:

* * *

…and just like that he was sitting once again in his ready room, looking out the window at the normal blackness of space sprinkled with a background of bright twinkling stars. The Comm-system next to his elbow beeped for attention.

"_Captain, we have arrived in the Gamma Quadrant_," Worf's voice informed him.

Picard paused for a moment, taking time to catch his breath from the unexpected experience. He mentally reviewed everything he knew about Benjamin Sisko. Obviously there was a great deal about the wormhole – and those who dwelled within – that Sisko would be able to share with them upon his return. The Captain did not appear to be under any undue influence or in any danger, so he decided to trust the man's judgment when he transmitted his next update to Starfleet Command. Picard also flagged the new report he had created as 'ready' so that it would be sent to the appropriate officers on his ship and also to Henry Goldwolf. He returned to the main _Enterprise _bridge with Captain Sisko and his family still prevalent in his mind.

Riker coughed subtly from the Captain's seat, and Picard snapped back to attention. His eyes found the tactical console, and he noticed immediately that Worf had displayed the schematics of the _Volsunga Saga_ there. The Captain almost laughed out loud as he realized that the Klingon was busy familiarizing himself with their escort vessel's capabilities.

"She's an impressive ship, isn't she Worf?" he asked.

The Klingon feigned ignorance. "Sir?"

Picard leaned closer and glanced down at the tactical display. "The _Saga_… she's an impressive ship. Much more so than the _Enterprise_…"

"Certainly not!" boomed Worf in reply. "I will _always_ serve aboard this vessel first and foremost when you require my presence." He actually settled himself down and relaxed a little bit, which was most unusual for the large, well-built Klingon. "However, I must admit that I am very impressed with what I have seen of Captain Goldwolf's ship. The _Volsunga Saga_ is a complex combination of technologies created by Starfleet for modern combat situations. Did you know that in standard configuration, the ship is composed of an arrowhead-shaped primary hull attached directly to a secondary hull supporting four warp nacelles on short pylons in an 'X' configuration? I have also observed that in battle, the ship can go into 'multi-vector assault mode'… a maneuver that divides the vessel into three ships: saucer, upper engineering hull, and lower engineering hull. This allows for the deployment of multiple attack vessels and tactical use of independently moving weapons platforms. The saucer also has two small warp nacelles stored in a retracted position while the vessel is joined, and these extend once the saucer has separated. All three independent vessels can later reconnect into the single, unified starship."

Commander William T. Riker was seated in his usual spot, and he turned to look at them with a chuckle. "Don't forget Mr. Worf, the _Saga_ also has enhanced defenses including ablative armor and regenerative deflector shields."

Captain Picard made it to the center seat without laughing, _but just barely_.


	10. Echoes Across Time

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter IX: Echoes Across Time **

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, Benini Star System, Stardate 54947.5:

* * *

Shortly after arriving in the Gamma Quadrant, the crews of both _Enterprise_ and _Volsunga Saga_ held a quick meeting to review the limited information that had been released to Captain Picard. Shortly thereafter, the crew of the _Saga_ returned to their own ship and then everyone waited patiently until several of the Jem'Hadar's "beetle" shaped attack cruisers suddenly dropped out of warp. The lead ship's commander contacted them to pass along a message from Ambassador Odo, who was still on the Founders' home world. He was blunt and to the point, but grudgingly told them that permission had officially been granted for Starfleet to recover _Columbia_. Both of the Dominion vessels then proceeded to escort the Federation starships to the Benini star system, where six planets orbited a very hot and unstable yellow star. 

Three of the planets were locked in close orbits, each of them orbiting too near the sun to support life forms. They were hot and volcanic infernos, two of which were orbiting each other even as they also revolved around the central sun. The mission plan designated the fifth planet, which indeed turned out to be M-Class, as its destination. Thus the four starships dropped out of warp approximately forty-eight hours later while they were still beyond the outer planet. Each vessel powered up its impulse engines and entered the system at sub-light velocity.

The Jem'Hadar stayed just long enough to verify that their escorts had been safely delivered to their scheduled destination. Right before they left, the same Jem'Hadar that had first spoken to them contacted the two Starfleet vessels and warned them to beware of rogue vessels roaming the area. "_There are both attack vessels and our larger battle cruisers still in this vicinity… ships that are under the control of Ketracel-White starved soldiers_," he cautioned. "_Avoid them if you can; my orders were simply to insure that you were delivered to your destination. We have received no instructions to make certain you leave the area alive, and if you do run into any of our lost brothers during your stay in our space you will discover for yourselves that we still have larger problems on our hands_."

Picard watched the viewscreen carefully, almost relieved when the two Jem'Hadar vessels vanished back into warp. He glanced at Colonel Kira for her reaction and was surprised to see her smile reassuringly.

"Believe it or not, the fact that they don't want to stay and post observers on the planet while we work is a really good sign," she observed. "They may be a bit lacking in the manners department, but at least this proves the soldiers who still have Ketracel-White available to them are abiding by the terms of the armistice."

"I think it's just as likely that they've probably already been down there and verified that there's nothing of tactical value for us to find," decided Riker.

Kira nodded with agreement. "That too." Her thoughts drifted back to the image of the Jem'Hadar Captain on the viewscreen. "I didn't see a Vorta on board… I wonder what's become of them… the soldiers obeyed them only because the Founders ordered it. Most of the Jem'Hadar loathed them and would have killed them instantly if they could have gotten away with it."

The Comm-system beeped for attention. "Incoming transmission from Captain Goldwolf," stated Worf briskly from tactical. At Picard's nod, he transferred the call to the forward viewscreen.

"_What do you think Jean Luc?_" asked the tall, well muscled Henry Goldwolf. His eyes blazed brightly as he stood in the center of his bridge on the image transmitted to them. The man's famous charisma as a starship Captain and respected leader was immediately obvious to all who met him.

Captain Picard chuckled just slightly at his counterpart's chosen tone of voice. "What do I think Henry? I _think_ that the rumors of uncontrolled Jem'Hadar on this side of the wormhole have not been unduly exaggerated."

"_Agreed_," stated Goldwolf bluntly. "_We can handle the smaller attack cruisers even if they attack in packs, but those larger warships – especially the newer ones – are packing a tremendous amount of firepower. That's one of the reasons I believe Commander Nog's assistance will be helpful, since he's one of the few who has been in battle against one of the newer configurations_."

Picard thought the matter over for a moment and came to a decision. "I see no reason why we shouldn't proceed. We simply have to be ready to handle the renegades if they decide to confront us. From what we've observed, if we keep a low profile while we're here it is far more likely that they will continue attacking their own people."

Dr. Crusher was standing near Worf at his tactical station and she didn't hesitate to speak up. "Dr. Bashir is confident that we can treat any Jem'Hadar who wants to break their addiction," she told him. "The first step involves a small surgical procedure, after which each soldier will have to undergo almost constant medication changes as we slowly decrease the dosage." She frowned slightly. "The full treatment plan will take at least four months… that's a long time, considering who these people are and what they're capable of. Even fully disarmed, they're quite dangerous."

On the screen, Goldwolf harrumphed in agreement. "_If we don't assist with the recovery as per the terms of our cease fire, the Dominion will have a legitimate gripe with our government_." He shrugged his massive shoulders as he pondered the issue. "_I still believe that once we raise the_ Columbia _our best bet is this planet right here – Benini Five. We've got a hot, M-Class atmosphere down there, and it's located reasonably close to the wormhole in case the situation destabilizes. If any Jem'Hadar choose to pick a fight, we can disable their vessels as they attack and bring them here. We'll all weigh a little more while we're on the planet, but our people are used to it. The alternative is to let them continue randomly attacking each other and the innocent civilian populations living in this Quadrant_."

This time it was Picard's turn to agree. "The _Enterprise_ will begin landing its away teams immediately. Begin your separation sequence and rig the _Saga-2_ for towing."

"_Acknowledged. Goldwolf out_."

* * *

Commander Riker rode down on the _Argo_ shuttle just long enough to off-load the sporty, all terrain vehicle stored in the back next to the rear hatch. He stood next to the ATV with Worf at his side as the shuttle immediately took off again and returned to the _Enterprise_. Several other shuttles, including two runabouts, were also descending from the skies and making preparations to land. Additional landing parties had already beamed down and were inspecting the unbelievable sight that lay before them… 

Half buried in the hills of rolling sand covering the surface of the hot, desert world lay the visibly warped, crumpled remains of the NX-02. _Columbia_ had come to a stop in an all too frighteningly familiar manner for Riker's taste. Memories of his last ride aboard the _Enterprise-D_ leaped immediately to the forefront of his thoughts, and he shrugged off the images as something to be dealt with later. Both he and Worf had their tricorders out and promptly began analyzing the outer hull plating.

"Not much could warp duranium like that without destroying it," decided Riker curiously, waiting for the scans to complete. "It would take one hell of a powerful tractor beam…"

"The hull's integrity has been compromised by stress consistent with travel through a concentrated gravity field," observed Worf. "There is no residual power signature and no anti-matter. It appears they were able to jettison their engine core prior to the crash landing."

One shuttle and two of the runabouts landed opposite each other, in a circular pattern surrounding the grounded starship. The specialists that had arrived with them disembarked and immediately joined the rest of the survey teams. Riker and Worf stood at the base of a small hill, just off the ship's starboard bow, carefully studying the massive saucer section towering above them only a few dozen meters distant.

The shuttle still in flight hovered approximately thirty meters above the top of the saucer section. Riker's Comm-badge beeped again unexpectedly. "_LaForge to Commander Riker_."

He tapped his communicator lightly. "This is Riker."

"_We're close enough for a better visual look_," Geordi reported, as he kept the shuttle holding position just above the _Columbia_. "_Other than severe hull stress – probably from a very dense gravity field – there's absolutely no residual signs of weapons fire or tractor beam activity. I'd say the crew of the NX-02 had one hell of a ride through a gravity well and then ended up going for another one once they reached the Gamma Quadrant_." Looking down through the cockpit window, LaForge could see men and women walking on top of the ship, and the _Enterprise_ engineering officer noted with satisfaction that the team he had assigned to survey the grounded starship's interior had already beamed inside.

"_How_ did they end up in the Gamma Quadrant?" asked Riker. "That's the mysterious, unanswered question of the moment."

Geordi paused for a moment before answering. "_Wormholes can be very unpredictable, especially those that are artificially created_," he said finally. "_That's why – until the Midas Array project and the development of a communications system with _Voyager – _Starfleet never invested much effort in messing with them… we've had plenty of other irons in the fire just building enough ships to keep the Borg and the Dominion threats in check. To date I only know of one artificial wormhole that has remained stable and constant over the years, and it's the one we passed through two days ago in order to arrive here_."

"The Captain's report stated that the sub-space rupture at Tau Ceti dug also had a distinct temporal signature," Worf spoke up. "He believes that the creature traveled back through time from Questar."

"_I know_," Geordi responded. He and his engineering crew completed their analysis of the outer hull and the shuttle proceeded to soar gracefully out over an empty area of sand. Seconds later, it descended rapidly toward the ground below. "_All of us know how unpredictable manipulating sub-space can be… that's why we usually stick with what works and experiment with new technology very carefully. If that energy creature was playing around with all that gravity at Questar, there's no telling what could have happened unless we were actually there. But I'd say it's a good bet that_ Columbia's _Captain intended to strand that thing back at the dead star… Ensign Backman reports that the telemetry from the NX-02's sensors appears to be intact, so a review of that should confirm our theory pretty quickly._"

Riker's tricorder beeped for attention and he glanced down at it. "Well this is certainly interesting," he noted with a wry grin.

Worf studied him curiously. "What?" he finally asked with an intense glare.

The Commander's response was to point toward the crashed starship. "That's a twenty-second century Earth vessel stranded in the Gamma Quadrant, but a quantum analysis of its hull plating indicates that the _Columbia_ has only been lying here in the desert for 34.4 years."

From the shuttle, Geordi was still listening to their conversation. "_Quite possible_," he confirmed quickly. "_If the NX-02 exited the wormhole unpredictably, at any point between its two ends, they could easily have traveled into the future in addition to crossing the galaxy. The creature at Questar was obviously deliberately trying to manipulate time, so it's a good bet that it was experimenting forward and backward while searching for the most advantageous time and place to re-enter the galaxy_."

"That's not what I meant," Riker replied brusquely. He touched his Comm-badge again. "Riker to Lieutenant Masters."

The reply came quickly. "_Masters here_."

"What does the interior look like?" wondered Riker. "Are their any bodies in there?"

"_No sir. Ensign Michaels said that she found half a dozen graves in the sand under the port nacelle, but other than that there is no sign that anybody else is still aboard_."

"Acknowledged. We'll join you in a few minutes… Riker out." He turned toward Worf with growing puzzlement. "That's the new unanswered question of the moment... if the ship has only been here for 35 years and there are only six graves back there in the sand, then what happened to the crew?"

* * *

They met again later in the _Enterprise _conference room, revising their game plan once again. Behind them the dark, dusty orangish-brown surface of Benini Five rotated slowly, visible in the distance beyond the base of the windows. The planet held firmly in its orbit as it relentlessly pursued its course through the glittering star field. 

Geordi LaForge was used to giving presentations – in fact, he had lost count over the years as to just how many of them he had conducted. But he was still the Chief Engineer, so everyone usually filed their reports with Riker after which it became LaForge's job to organize everything into logical order. Using skills that he had mastered with regular and routine practice over the years, it took him less than an hour to prepare a complete report.

"The survey team that originally discovered _Columbia_ on this planet was able to access and download the central database from the ship's main computer while still in orbit," LaForge stated informatively. "Since the Jem'Hadar were lurking nearby, they were unable to land on the surface, and ended up leaving here in a hurry. That's why they missed a great deal more information that was stored throughout the remainder of the crisis in the isolated, keyboard-dependent network that Captain Hernandez's crew constructed in main engineering. There is a lot of new information, so I don't think we came all this way for nothing."

"Is there anything relevant that _Voyager_'s people can make use of?" Captain Goldwolf had his large forearms resting on the table, and he leaned forward intently. "Was Hernandez able to come up with a tactically sound defense against this thing?"

Geordi shook his head. "I don't know," he concluded. "We're here, and the entity is in the Delta Quadrant. Therefore, it's proving to be a lot more difficult for us to make a determination as to what information would be most effective for coming up with a defense against it. We already know from the old _Enterprise_ logs that static-proof electronic force fields work very well, but they're only a temporary solution. This creature excels at overloading things, and it also absorbs energy. Without a reliable power supply, electrical shielding is completely useless. So once this life form comes aboard a ship it definitely has a major advantage."

Picard tapped his Comm-badge. "Picard to Commander Troi."

She was expecting his call. "_Troi here_."

They were in dangerous territory and thus he had left his well trained Counselor in charge of the bridge. She would be able to review a summary transcript of the conference later – right now he needed an experienced officer at conn. Unexpected attacks from out of control Jem'Hadar were common in the Gamma Quadrant and he was thus taking no chances. But he had to make an on the spot decision right now and he did not hesitate to do so.

"It's time to take our first risk, Commander," Picard told her. "Use an encrypted channel and send all of the _Columbia_ data through the wormhole so that Deep Space Nine can relay it to Starfleet Command." He sighed heavily. "I realize this may lead every rogue Jem'Hadar in the vicinity right back to us, but it will give Captain Janeway and her crew immediate access to everything we have after this evening's transmission from Starfleet. We can continue to let our own experts study the information while _Voyager_'s team conducts a simultaneous evaluation in the Delta Quadrant."

"_I'll transmit the information right away, Captain_," she promised.

"The logs clearly show that Captain Hernandez successfully stranded the entity back at Questar, then moved forward through time when her ship accessed another wormhole there," Riker pointed out. "According to our most accurate quantum dating methods, the NX-02 crashed only 34.4 years ago. Other than six hastily dug graves on the planet's surface, there's no sign that the rest of the crew spent any significant time on Benini Five. So what happened to them?"

No one said anything for a moment as everyone present at the gathering contemplated the variety of possibilities.

Commander Data spoke next. "According to the additional telemetry found in main engineering, the crew spent several hours setting up a backup bridge network. The entity had attached itself to their warp core and was noticeably draining power from it until the crew decided to shut down the engine and began powering their emergency systems using only the ship's batteries. They did not restore full main power until it was needed just before they began their trip through the sub-space rupture."

"During the time when the crew was busy reassembling a new bridge in engineering, the creature remained mostly silent," added Worf. "But it did speak to them on occasion – primarily using threats and intimidation tactics to force compliance with its demands. Captain Hernandez used the opportunity to record everything it said so that a more detailed study could be made later."

The room had a large, central viewscreen which Geordi quickly activated. Everyone at the briefing room table watched closely as a picture of the NX-02's main engineering sprang to life. Dozens of _Columbia_'s crew bustled back and forth, working patiently but steadily to establish a new command center in the engine room. Behind them, a sinister green glow could be seen pulsating around the horizontal length of the ship's warp five engine. The images captured during the recording process had occurred more than two centuries ago, but to those watching they could easily have been recorded yesterday…

* * *

"_You cannot escape me, you cannot stop me… obey!" a voice seemingly from nowhere said darkly, crackling with electronic distortion._

_A tall dark-haired woman wearing a navy blue uniform bearing the rank of Captain stepped forward toward the engine's control console. "We will _not_," she replied sharply. "You can control our systems and create as many hull breaches as you want, but in the end all you will accomplish is a repeat of your performance on the _Hemmapek_. We will not give in to you, and you have lost control of this ship."_

"_I am the Vryke… sooner or later everyone obeys me or dies."_

"_We are shutting down our vessel's warp core; it will be off in minutes. You'll have to get your energy from somewhere else."_

"_The sun nearby will suffice as a power source. I am in the process of regenerating… soon I will be able to resume the form that I once used to roam your galaxy."_

"_When was that?" Hernandez asked the question and – at the same time – used hand signals to motion toward two officers standing opposite her. They nodded and continued working to deactivate the engine._

"_My former travels occurred far too long ago for you to comprehend. I spent millions of your years trapped in the bottom of a gravity well, but a ship from your era found me and I almost escaped. They too did not obey, and that is why I have come here… to make Starfleet pay for its disobedience. You will carry me back to Earth, at which point I will destroy your world."_

"_Don't be surprised if we decide not to assist you in completing that part of your plan," said Hernandez as she monitored Commander Strong's progress with the engine control systems. For the next few minutes no one said anything… the entity remained silent and the crew continued working furiously to complete their assigned tasks._

"_Why did you move the bridge crew down here?" one of the crewman asked curiously._

"_That's a great question," the Captain replied briskly. "While aboard the Tellarite vessel, I witnessed firsthand what this creature can do. It blew a hole in the hull of the _Hemmapek_'s bridge and killed everyone inside, venting their entire atmosphere into space with one simple act of sabotage. So I'm changing tactics and regrouping down here in order to make sure that we're close to the heart of our ship… its engine. If the entity could go anywhere faster without needing our warp drive, it wouldn't have stayed trapped aboard the freighter after killing off its crew." _

_As she spoke, a sudden series of flares exploded along both sides of the warp engine mount, spraying sparks and bits of glowing debris all over the crew. White smoke poured out of the angry, burning remnants of the fires and the large, two-level chamber surrounding them filled rapidly with the odor of burnt electrical insulation. Strong ignored the intimidation tactics, and a few seconds later the intermix reaction within the warp chamber slowed to a crawl as its power output dropped considerably._

"_What was that?" asked the curious crewman._

"_The entity seems to be angry now that we're denying it the prize it seeks," pointed out Hernandez brusquely."_

* * *

The viewscreen's went dark and Geordi shrugged. "It's as simple as that. After shutting down their engine core they discussed the issue, took lots of sensor readings, and made their decision to try and return the entity to Questar. It certainly appears, from everything we've obtained, that they were successful in completing that objective. Quite obviously their ship took major damage on the trip through the wormhole, and the entity was therefore unwilling to risk riding along with them to the Gamma Quadrant." 

"So it resumed its efforts to escape from Questar and decided – this time – to try the Delta Quadrant." Beverly Crusher was seated next to Dr. Julian Bashir, and her brilliant red hair hugged her shoulders as she spoke. "Isn't it kind of an unlikely, astonishing coincidence that this creature just _happened_ to run into Starfleet again… this time crossing paths with the only Federation starship we have over there?"

"The Vryke entity obviously doesn't like Starfleet," admitted Captain Goldwolf. "But you're correct… _Voyager_ didn't discover it by accident."

Dr. Crusher looked intrigued. "Oh?" she asked with focused interest.

Picard had his hands folded together in front of him, and his chin was resting on top of them as he listened closely to the conversation and evaluated the situation. "Captain Janeway was following coordinates provided to her by 'Q'," he admitted grimly. A series of groans floated back across the table at him and he smiled weakly. "I felt the same way when I found out," he continued, "except that – given the proven danger level of the Vryke – it's quite probably a good thing that _Voyager_ located it. Obviously something needs to be done or it will kill indiscriminately within the Delta Quadrant until it achieves whatever twisted agenda is currently most important to it. After millions of years at Questar, who knows what that might be?"

"Well, we've done our part," stated Riker. "The sensor scans we obtained were recorded using centuries old technology, but they're still pretty accurate. Along with the additional video and personal logs discovered in engineering, we're going to be able to provide Captain Janeway with a lot more information than she had."

Captain Goldwolf nodded. "That frees us up to move on to the next stage of our mission here."

"Which is?" Commander Nog glanced at the Captain curiously. Next to him, Commander Data appeared just as interested.

Picard smiled slowly. "Starfleet may still be recuperating from the war, but they did assign us the _Volsunga Saga_ as our escort for a reason. To the Jem'Hadar we appeared to be two ships on our way in, when in actuality we are now _four_." He glanced toward his fellow Captain.

"I'm going to use _Saga-1_ to provide cover for Commander Nog as he raises the _Columbia_ off of the Benini Five surface and back into orbit," Goldwolf told them. "After that, he will tow _Columbia_ back to Deep Space Nine. From there, our experts can examine the NX-02 further and pass along any additional findings to Starfleet Command."

As Goldwolf spoke, Geordi switched the viewscreen's image to a tactical view of the _Volsunga Saga_ when split into its three smaller vessel components. "The _Saga-1_ is the upper, primary stardrive section," he pointed out. "It is the most heavily armed of the three smaller ships. _The Saga-2_, or lower, secondary primary stardrive section is also a formidable opponent in battle." Captain Goldwolf nodded in confirmation at Geordi's assessment, so he continued with his analysis. "Commander Data will remain here and command _Saga-3_, which is the tertiary, arrowhead saucer section," he informed them. "Of the three separated ships its combat capabilities are the most limited, since it has only a small warp core and two small retractable nacelles. Powering the shields to fully protect the saucer limits available phaser power, but nonetheless _Saga-3_ will easily be able to provide additional tactical support for the duration of _Enterprise_'s stay in this area."

"Essentially _Saga-3_'s arrowhead is an upgraded and improved version of the Galaxy-Class separation sequence," Goldwolf added. "This saucer, however, has a fully functional, independent warp core and advanced weapons capability at its disposal. In an emergency, it makes a great escape vessel that can also shoot back if needed. It's not nearly as vulnerable as a Galaxy starship's separated saucer."

Picard shifted his gaze across the table. "Are you ready Commanders?" he asked Data and the young Ferengi officer.

"Aye sir," replied both of them simultaneously.

The _Enterprise _Captain was not yet completely satisfied. "We can patrol this star system and maintain adequate protection for our medical people as they begin establishing treatment centers on the planet below," he noted. "But that will prevent us from providing backup for Captain Goldwolf and Commander Nog if their ships run into any major combat situations."

"Don't worry Captain Picard," stated Nog confidently. "I know the Jem'Hadar and the capabilities of their most advanced warships. Captain Goldwolf and I will handle the situation… trust me, we'll get _Columbia_ home."

"I have every confidence in you Commander," Picard replied sincerely. "And I'm hoping your journey goes quickly, since I would still like to know what happened to Captain Hernandez and her crew. Once you return from your towing mission we'll launch an investigation." He held up his right hand for emphasis. "But don't hesitate to call Deep Space Nine and request backup if you run into more difficulty than you can reasonably handle. No heroics."

"We'll return before you even know we're gone," promised Captain Goldwolf. "You can count on that, Captain. Just make certain that _you _shout loud enough for us to hear if the Jem'Hadar show up unexpectedly here at Benini Five."

Picard's expression was determined. "They'll get far more than they bargained for if they choose to take on the _Enterprise_," he promised, pointing a finger directly at Goldwolf. "I know you like a good rumble now and then Captain, but _please_ don't follow the same course as our telemetry transmission… that _will_ get you shot at."

"Captain, relax…" Henry Goldwolf said with a huge smile. "You're working with people who have a lot of experience with the Jem'Hadar. "We can handle ourselves in a crunch."

"I'm holding you to that," Picard said softly as everyone stood up and began to slowly file out of the conference room.

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Yukshaan Home World, Stardate 54947.5:

* * *

General Cabreu Skellan sat in his private chambers peacefully, reviewing the evening newspapers. He noted that the headlines were gradually returning to current and local events. The bitter, anger driven headlines that had dominated the printed and televised news for many months now were gradually fading into memory since the Yukshaan government had thus far chosen not to act. The fact that four of their military starships were now under Rafali control had outraged his population – most considered the abductions to be an act of war and had demanded an immediate reprisal even as their central Congress called for patience while they investigated the matter. 

Skellan was not someone who panicked under pressure, and – as General of the Yukshaan military and soldiers on all of its colony worlds – he had access to information that most did not... especially civilians. The intelligence gathering agents of Yukshaan were very thorough and efficient at their jobs – and they had notified him immediately once they suspected that the Rafali were up to something. That was how he knew that, earlier in the evening, one of their missing four starships had quietly slipped back into the Yukshaan star system with its identification transponder switched off. It was hiding somewhere in their star system, with intentions unknown.

Skellan had informed the Congressional leadership that he was not ready to commit the military to actual hostile engagements until he knew all the facts. Thus, like all the rest, he was forced to sit quietly and wait for additional news. Concern dominated the forefront of his thoughts, so he was extremely relieved when the lights in the room dimmed and the clock radio next to his bed crackled with sudden activity.

"_I have returned_," said the strange, alien voice that Skellan had come to know so well throughout the past year.

"I'm glad it's you," decided the General. "When I heard one of our captured ships had returned, I began to fear that the Rafalians might have decided to act without your authorization. It's good to know that you are still running things over there."

"_Derryn Akseth will not move against you without my specific authorization_," the Vryke promised. "_Nothing has changed… I will tempt them into launching a terrorist attack on your government. Once they do so and you succeed in halting their effort to kill millions, you will have gained all the political clout you need to declare martial law and launch a military counterstrike and occupation of their home world. Yukshaan will annex Rafali Prime quite easily, and then you and I can focus our attention next toward the peace loving Stefe'en_."

"The Stefe'en will be far easier to add to our Empire," predicted Skellan proudly. "They're a bunch of weak dirt farmers, the lot of them. The Rafalians are a much tougher problem tactically for our forces simply because so many of them are such religious zealots." He poured himself a glass of powerful ale and took a sip of the harsh, bitter liquid. "Does their Prime Magnate really believe that you're their God?"

The entity was silent for a moment as it considered the question carefully. "_I'm not entirely certain_," it replied finally. "_But Akseth is convinced that I have the power to lead his people to greatness, and that I will support his dominance over a new government. It is power he craves, so by dangling it in front of him I can lead him in any direction that we choose_."

General Skellan held up his glass toward his clock radio in a mock toast. "You still haven't told me exactly _what_ you are," he pointed out. "What kind of creature are you and where did you come from?"

"_Do you care?_"

It was Skellan's turn to think quietly for a bit. "Not really," he decided, chuckling with amusement. "As long as you deliver on your promises I think our relationship will continue to benefit us both."

"_I have grown considerably since last we spoke. My body continues to evolve and adapt as I absorb energy from the ships and stars around me. My core being rides in the stolen starship now traveling within your space, but the totality of my reconstructed body stretches much, much farther. Until the ship I am aboard returns to Rafali Prime, I can see everything that is happening around me… within this star system_."

The General harrumphed as he took another drink of the dark ale. "What about my political enemies? Are they up to anything?"

"_They are idle for the moment… I don't think they totally know how to react to what has happened. They had their sights focused directly on you for so many years. Now that the Rafali have seized your vessels and kidnapped your soldiers – suddenly they have new priorities. Like you, they do not wish to appear weak in the eyes of their constituency_."

Skellan grinned. "What did you tell the Prime Magnate before leaving Rafali Prime? That you forgot something in Paradise and had to run back and fetch it?"

The Vryke paused again before answering, but this time its voice sounded noticeably irritated at his snide remark. "_Do not make useless jokes… we are dealing with very serious matters that are unfolding very quickly. There is a Federation Starship in the vicinity and I have been unable to locate it. They are a very dangerous enemy and could easily disrupt our plans_."

General Skellan nodded with agreement. "Yes, I have already been told the tale of this _Voyager_, of the lost starship that only wants to help us settle our matters diplomatically. Our Prime Minister is actually on board right now, along with delegations from Rafali Prime and Stefe'en." His tone of voice turned angry and bitter. "Our Prime Minister is on _Voyager_, right at the precise time we need him here in our capital city."

"_That will not be a problem. Next time your Prime Minister checks in, be certain to recommend that you be added as a consultant to the Yukshaan delegation. Once you board the Federation vessel, simply make certain that you have several electronic devices hidden on your person. After you are aboard, simply turn them on and I will take care of the rest. Once I know their location, even the electrostatic shielding will be unable to withstand my new, powerful body. In the end, _Voyager_ will serve as our new flagship as I lead your people to promised greatness_."

The General smiled with delight. "I look forward to that," he said, again sipping from his glass. "I hear that their starship is quite advanced... I predict our technology is about to undergo a rapid period of advancement in the coming years." As he spoke the clock radio went suddenly silent and the lighting in the room returned to normal. "As usual, it's been a pleasure chatting with you," he said to the unseen entity.

* * *

The Vryke lurked nearby for awhile, observing General Cabreu Skellan covertly as he proceeded to drink himself into a stupor. The General was obviously wrestling with his conscience as he contemplated the military action he was preparing to implement, along with the fact that he was going to have to sacrifice a great many of his own people in the ensuing conflicts in order to achieve their objective. Thus far the battle hardened soldier appeared as though he might have a few second thoughts, but like Derryn Akseth he too had was susceptible to ambition and greed… with the proper nudging here and there. The Vryke was firmly convinced that General Skellan would fulfill his part of the bargain, thereby plunging his people into a bloody war in the process. 

Warn torn worlds were vulnerable worlds, and they would give the Vryke all the opportunity it needed. Regardless of how it instigated a conflict between the two factions, by the time hostilities had concluded the Vryke would be capable of converting between energy and a permanent, physical form whenever it chose to do so. It was close now, close to becoming so powerful and so fierce that nothing could stop it. It was especially strong while remaining within the confines of a solar system, absorbing the inexhaustible source of energy radiated by a stable sun. Only time and isolation would bleed away its life force, and it was very rapidly taking steps to insure that _that_ was never going to happen again.

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54947.8:

* * *

Kathryn Janeway stood firmly in the Astrometrics lab, studying the image of Admiral Owen Paris for a moment. "So that's it," she declared finally. "The _Columbia_ was indeed stranded in the Gamma Quadrant, just like your pre-war scouting party reported. I must admit to feeling a bit emotional upon hearing your report. The idea that someone else was in a similar situation to ours almost two centuries ago is a bit of a downer." She sighed heavily, evaluating their options. 

Behind her Chakotay and Seven worked quickly, and her first officer finally glanced up at her with a satisfied smile. "The telemetry from Starfleet has been received," he acknowledged with a grateful nod. "Seven and I will begin reviewing the data from _Columbia_ with the rest of the crew immediately." The two of them turned quickly and left the lab.

"_Earlier, your first officer mentioned that this Vryke creature has been unable to locate you_," commented the Admiral curiously. "_How did you manage that? If the entity can detect man-made energy signatures and see beyond the normal human visible spectrum, it should easily be able to spot your cloaking device… at minimum you should look like a bright silhouette to it, standing out against the background of space_."

Janeway raised her coffee mug and took a sip, smiling as she drank the hot liquid.

"It's a little trick we developed back when we rescued Seven from the Borg Queen," she told him. "The cloaking device we used aboard the _Delta Flyer_ on that mission relied on adaptive stealth technology… the science behind it has already been studied closely by both Romulan and Federation scientists. We simply added those modifications to the energy shield produced by Commander Data's cloaking device. Our cloak is now slightly out of phase with normal space/time… just a smidge. We've run a number of computer simulations to insure that even if the creature looks directly at _Voyager_, we will simply blend in with all the background radiation." She waved a hand at the empty room around her for emphasis. "The Borg adapted much more quickly than we expected when we used this technique in the attack against their uni-complex, but all your son had to do each time he was detected was shift the variance slightly and the _Delta Flyer_ would disappear again. That's what we plan to do if this Vryke creature catches on to what we're doing."

"_Is it still trying to find you?_"

"No. Seven has created a detailed 3-D map of its presence spanning the entire length of the Rafali star system, which continues to grow as the creature grows toward whatever passes for its version of adulthood. It left the system yesterday – apparently the alien's 'brain' moved away from the Rafali home world and onto one of the stolen Yukshaan starships. The rest of its body traveled with it, maintaining a spherical grid around the starship as it left the system. I sent Tom and Harry Kim out in the _Delta Flyer_ so that they can follow it and keep an eye on its activities."

"_If this thing can destroy Borg vessels I think all of you should be _very_ careful_."

"The _Flyer_ is cloaked just like we are Admiral, so you needn't be concerned," observed the Captain. "I would also like to point out that the creature did _not_ destroy those Borg ships. The Borg detected its invasion almost immediately and – once their drones were unable to purge it from their systems – the Collective _chose _to order them to self-destruct. I doubt this Vryke was even able to decrypt their database files… after all, we have Seven of Nine around to help us and it still takes us plenty of time to do that."

"_I want you to be careful anyway_." He smiled warmly at her, and even though he was 30,000 light years away she felt some of his reassuring good humor rub off on her.

"We will," Janeway promised, returning his smile with a mischievous grin of her own. "Can a few of my crew have some personal time with their families now?"

"_Of course. We're all set up on this end_."

She nodded with satisfaction. "Good. I'll start sending them in."

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Yukshaan Home World, Stardate 54947.9:

* * *

General Cabreu Skellan woke up with a huge headache and a strange feeling that he was not where he was supposed to be. He felt nauseous and tried to sit up, but discovered – much to his surprise – that he was lying flat on the surface of a small table with restraints on his arms, wrists and ankles. He paused for a moment and took slow, deep breaths. The dizziness and sick feeling faded, but he could still tell by his distorted perceptions that he was really, really drunk. 

_He was also no longer in his bedroom_.

"Welcome to the _Delta Flyer_, General," said a handsome, dark-haired young man standing next to his bedside. "You've been keeping some nasty company lately. Do you make a habit of hanging around powerful, omnipotent creatures… or is this a one-time relationship?"

"Who are you and where am I?" demanded Skellan indignantly, using his large, well-muscled body to try and force his way into a sitting position. The restraints, for the moment, held him tightly in their grasp.

"My name is Tom Paris, and as I already told you we have transported you aboard our shuttle. We're from the starship _Voyager_, and were following this Vryke creature when our sensors detected it focusing an intense tendril of energy inside your private home. It was obviously communicating with you, so we monitored your conversation and then beamed you up after it left so we could study both you and the situation further. I have taken a good look at your biological profile. We found some very interesting things, General. Very interesting…"

"I demand…"

Paris held up a hand and shook his head. "Before you do anything, I would suggest you relax for a moment. I've injected you with medication to help with your hangover, and some of it is also designed to counteract the effects of the Vryke creature's long-term manipulation of your psyche."

"Counteract… the effects of…?" Skellan trailed off in surprise as he realized that he did feel better. A _lot_ better.

He noticed immediately that his thought process was completely different, almost as though someone had flipped a switch inside his mind. _What the hell am I doing?_ He asked himself silently. _I'm trusting an alien creature that has almost total control over everything electrical, plotting with it in secret, and working to assist it in setting up an attack on the Rafali that will kill tens of thousands. Whether or not that attack is successful, there will be all out war and many innocent lives will be lost._

_What the hell am I doing?_

He tried to remember how he had felt the evening before, while speaking with the Vryke, but was able to access only a small portion of those memories and emotions. He knew he had been promised power and leadership in the new union that was to form in the aftermath of any conflict that broke out. _The Yukshaan Trade Coalition is supposed to become the Yukshaan Empire_, he remembered uneasily. _I've been cooperating with this thing for almost a year now, doing its bidding and helping it to plan the death of innocent people_.

The General was an experienced combat veteran who had participated in many small but bloody conflicts taking place over the years, particularly those that threatened on several occasions to destabilize the fragile network of the Trade Coalition. Someone was always making back room deals, forming illegal alliances, or simple trying to smuggle valuable goods. Fraud and organized crime was an inevitable fact of life, and occasionally his fleet of starships had assisted in policing the merchant lanes. But his fight had always been with those who chose to break the law or start trouble. He particularly loathed those who acted dignified and honest in public while secretly arming for war in private and waiting for their chance to make a bid for power.

_So how did I so suddenly and totally become one of those people that I loathe the most?_

Despite his training and mental self discipline, a wave of temporary panic threatened to overwhelm him. He lay quietly on the bed and again began taking deep breaths, waiting until he was calmed down before continuing his mental self analysis. He wondered how many of his brain cells were still waking up after all of the booze he had consumed the night before… that too was totally unlike Skellan, but he had been under so much stress as the Vryke's plan continued to move toward fruition that he had needed some sort of escape.

_Even if it was only a temporary, self destructive one._

Then a thought struck him, forcing itself to the forefront of his mind. _Brain cells. Neurons_. Of course! The creature was a master of everything electrical, and it was quite possible that over a period of time the Vryke had managed to slowly manipulate and condition him into believing things that he never would have otherwise. His gaze drifted back to the smiling face of Tom Paris, who tapped the side of his head with a forefinger for emphasis.

"Are you feeling a little better today General?" asked Paris with a mischievous smile. "The Doctor is going to be impressed… I analyzed your condition and treated it, all without his help."

General Skellan's thoughts drifted back to the first time he had met the Vryke… it had approached him looking like any other Yukshaan citizen and then proceeded to show him things that he had never thought possible. While in physical form its flesh felt real, it radiated body heat – there had been nothing to indicate that it was anything other than a live person. But it had remarkable powers at its disposal, which it had promptly demonstrated to him by eliminating several of his most critical enemies. The creature had thus taken him into its confidence, telling him about a great threat to his people and their way of life. At first he had not believed it and expressed doubts, but the weight of its arguments had gained momentum over time… especially when much of what it told him was backed up by events he had witnessed personally.

The General had always considered the Rafali people to be a total enigma… they were very isolative and protective of their way of life. He didn't mind any of that, but as a military leader he had a definite problem with the raiding parties they sent out… the ones that occasionally boarded civilian ships to kill people and steal cargo. At times they would attack simply to cause disruption within the Coalition. All of that violence over the years, all of it carried out simply because the Yukshaan had made political and religious choices that were _different _than those of the Rafali. So yes, there had definitely been some resentment on his part – perhaps even hatred – building up within him over the years on a subconscious level.

_But to start a war specifically to gain power and personal glory throughout the sector? That was imperialism, and not behavior that should be tolerated from someone in his powerful position._

It all seemed so simple to him now.

The Vryke was obviously playing the Yukshaan and Rafali off against one another, using them to stir up and create a conflict that it wanted. He was certain of it; despite the persistent, throbbing headache in his mind the military training disciplined into him over the years had kicked into high gear. _You're being used, General_, he told himself with dismay. _You're being strategically manipulated and used psychologically by something that has a practiced skill in dealing with the neuro-transmitters stored within a humanoid brain_. _This creature has used its abilities to adversely affect your judgment, and it did so in a manner that was so subtle and gradual that you were completely unaware that it was happening._

Skellan exhaled slowly, watching Paris carefully. "I do not believe the restraints will be necessary any longer, Mister…" he began slowly.

"Lieutenant Paris… Tom Paris," Paris told him. He verified several readings on his medical tricorder and began unfastening the restraining straps. "Whether you realize it or not, the creature you are allowing to roam around in your space is very dangerous and unpredictable. It had you conditioned to behave in the manner that it wanted, simply by manipulating the electrical impulses in your brain."

"I believe you," the General told him as he sat up. "Although right now my over-use of ale yesterday evening is what is foremost in my thoughts…" He groaned, grabbing his head firmly between both hands and massaging his temples. "Your hangover cure has, thus far, proven ineffective."

Paris removed a hypo from his medical kit, filled its end cap with a dark red fluid and then pressed the opposite end of the instrument against the General's arm. "This should help too," he said reassuringly as the hypospray hissed slowly while releasing its contents. "Our beverages normally contain a consumable form of alcohol… it's similar to but not nearly as strong as what you were drinking." He smiled at the General. "If things work out and we do manage to stop this creature, would you be able to get me a bottle or two of that stuff?"

Skellan chuckled as he stood up, noticing as he did so that his headache had already faded to a dull throb. "Your medicine works very fast," he observed. "But we must move quickly if we are to prevent disastrous consequences… the Vryke is planning to try some sort of terrorist attack on my people, and I am certain it also has plans to initiate some sort of similar violence on Rafali Prime. It obviously wants a war between Yukshaan and Rafali so that it can dominate the survivors. It also has plans to eventually bring the Stefe'en into this conflict."

Paris ushered their tall, wide-shouldered visitor into the _Delta Flyer_'s cockpit and introduced the General to Ensign Harry Kim. Harry smiled and said a quick hello, but his primary attention was currently focused on keeping the _Flyer_ riding alongside one of the Yukshaan starships patrolling the home world. Their cloak was on and functioning as they rode alongside the larger vessel beside them, orbiting the planet from a very high altitude.

"If you will grant me access to your communications equipment, I will call and warn my forces about our common enemy. I will then order them to assist you in stopping the Vryke from doing whatever it plans to do with our stolen vessel," he promised them. "This creature had me convinced that whatever secret attack was going to happen here on Yukshaan would be detected and stopped before it could succeed. If that were true, I don't think that it would have worked so hard at using its abilities to manipulate my subconscious emotions. I think it plans to kill many of my people as well as the Rafalians."

Tom nodded his head slowly in agreement.

"How do we find your ship?" Harry asked curiously. "There are at least thirty of them within the star system, and that count doesn't include all of your civilian merchant vessels."

The General pondered the question as he sat down in one of the seats behind Ensign Kim. "The rogue ship will be the only one that is _not _transmitting any identification signals," he noted. "It will also be hiding behind a moon or in one of the asteroid fields ringing our sun. The Vryke will not want to have the ship detected until it is ready to strike."

"Well, Harry and I can assist your starships in stopping the attack on the Yukshaan home world, but I'm going to have to report in to my Captain and let her know that the Vryke has similar violence planned against the Rafalians. We have to stop that too."

Skellan grew frustrated. "Yes, yes, I will help you with all of this…" he declared with growing frustration as his head continued to clear. "But first you have to return me to my bedroom for a few minutes so that I can put on my uniform. I refuse to go into battle wearing only my pajamas."


	11. In Valiant's Shadow

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter X: In Valiant's Shadow**

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, Benini Star System, Stardate 54948.3:

* * *

Commander Riker stood shoulder to shoulder with his Captain as they watched the two Jem'Hadar attack cruisers glide into an attack formation on _Enterprise_. Quite obviously, they had detected Commander Troi's earlier sub-space transmission to Deep Space Nine and promptly followed it back to the Benini star system. It was probable that they were renegades, since legitimate Jem'Hadar warships in the area would already have been informed by the Founders that a Starfleet mission into Dominion space had been approved. 

"Hail them," ordered Picard, watching the two ships hesitate for a moment as they sized up the Federation starships orbiting the planet.

Worf kept his eye on the tactical status of each ship as he complied with the command. "Both vessels have shields raised and weapons charged," he reported. "No response to hails."

The Captain turned slightly so he could see the large Klingon out of the corner of his eye. "Has the _Saga-2_ left the area?"

"Affirmative," confirmed Worf. "They finished orbital docking with _Columbia_ and went to warp five minutes ago. According to long range sensors, there are no indications that _Saga-2_ is being pursued."

Riker stroked his beard thoughtfully. "That doesn't mean there _aren't_ more ships out there. We have no way of knowing whether these ships are acting on their own or as part of a larger group."

The bridge rumbled as the lead ship fired on them, its white hot polaron beam smashing into the _Enterprise_'s fully charged deflector shields. The second vessel joined the attack a moment later… multiple hits repeatedly jolted the Federation starship.

"Mr. Worf, warn the Jem'Hadar that they are in violation of the cease fire agreement signed in good faith by their government," stated the Captain bluntly. His eyes shifted to Troi, who was manning Data's usual spot at the helm. "Deanna, keep the _Enterprise_ between the Jem'Hadar and the _Saga-3_. Don't let them near the Arrowhead."

Riker and Picard waited patiently as both officers complied with their orders. "No response from the Jem'Hadar," Worf reported finally. "Both ships are standard, beetle-shaped attack vessels with phased polaron beam technology. Their shields are also capable of repelling our tractor beams unless we disable them." He met Riker's gaze, his Klingon impatience obvious.

"Quantum torpedoes at 60 percent yield should do the trick," noted Riker. Picard nodded and gave the order to fire. Relieved, Worf brought the ship's weapons to life.

"Firing torpedoes," the burly Klingon reported as he fired three shots at the closest ship. The starship's heavy firepower overwhelmed the attack vessel and it tumbled out of control, trailing behind it a cloud of bright red radiation as the first torpedo slammed into and then overloaded its shields. The second and third glowing projectiles dug brilliant fiery red holes in its hull. Charred hull plating surrounded the glowing puncture wounds and the ship's running lights lost power. The Jem'Hadar aboard retained enough control of the ship to use maneuvering thrusters to stop the tumbling, but the ship continued listing badly to port.

"Target the second ship and immobilize it as well." The Captain said bluntly.

"Aye Captain." Worf paused to let Deanna move the _Enterprise_ into a position high above the second ship and then fired another salvo of three quantum torpedoes. Seconds later, it too was floating helplessly with its main power down. Another rumble from the bridge walls quickly reminded them, however, that the Jem'Hadar crews on both vessels were still finding weapons power from somewhere.

Riker joined Worf at tactical. "Use phasers to destroy all weapons ports," he suggested briskly.

"Both ships have skeleton crews on board," Worf noted curiously. "Either there have been internal fights aboard both ships, or they've suffered many casualties during other battles."

"Probably a bit of both." Picard watched the two ships on the forward viewscreen as they floated, almost totally powerless, above Benini Five. He tapped his Comm-badge. "Mr. Data, are your people ready over there?"

The response was almost immediate. "_Affirmative. Dr. Bashir and Dr. Crusher have informed me that they have prepared shielded isolation wards using two of the _Saga-3'_s cargo bays. Security is in place, and we plan to use gas to anesthetize the Jem'Hadar – I believe the Doctors have chosen a combination of Axonol and Neurozine. Dr. Bashir believes this will immobilize them long enough for us to remove their armor and personal cloaking systems_."

"Be extremely careful Commander," warned Worf brusquely. "The Jem'Hadar are soldiers, born and bred to be both resilient and hard to immobilize."

"_Thank you for your concern Worf_." Data actually sounded a bit amused. "_Once the soldiers are disarmed, our medical staff plans to use surgery to remove the Ketracel-White equipment linking each Jem'Hadar's body to his uniform. After that they will be transported to the temporary POW camps that Captain Goldwolf's people have set up on the planet surface. Since the first ten days of Dr. Bashir's medical procedure require them to be completely anesthetized, we will not have to worry about major security precautions until the first group awakens_."

Picard listened closely to the conversation. "We'll beam over several of our security teams to assist you," he decided. "If we can establish strong enough confinement fields around the soldiers, the only Jem'Hadar that need move among our people will be the ones currently receiving treatment. The rest will remain confined on either the Arrowhead or Benini Five until we are ready to return them to their own people."

"_That would be extremely helpful sir_," Data replied. "_Doctors Crusher and Bashir are both confident that a four month stay on the planet will totally free the Jem'Hadar from the drug-addictive bonds of the Dominion._"

There was a pause as someone interrupted the android. "_Captain, this is Dr. Crusher_." Her voice sounded mildly concerned. "_We still have to communicate with the Founders and decide just how we're going to re-integrate these soldiers back into their society. Simply freeing them from their addiction isn't enough_… _we have to assist their government in relocating them somewhere_."

Picard shrugged. "First we have to defend ourselves against the renegades Doctor," he suggested. "One step at a time, please."

"_I am aware of our vulnerable tactical situation Captain_," she persisted. "_But the Ketracel-White is more than simply an addictive drug; it contains enzymatic nutrients that can't be easily replicated. It is one of the major reasons why the Jem'Hadar traditionally haven't had to worry about eating food or drinking water in the same manner that we do_." She paused for a moment, weighing the options. "_Also, in order to avoid culture shock we _must _begin planning out some sort of future for these people… and I strongly believe the Founders need to be included in that process. It's going to take a _long_ time to make basic decisions on even the simplest things: will the Jem'Hadar have jobs, homes, and still serve in the military? Will they continue to be cloned or will females be re-introduced into the species? Where will they live? There are many questions that need to be answered, so I suggest that we start a dialogue with the Founders as soon as possible_."

Standing at tactical, Worf growled softly to himself. "I definitely think they should opt for re-introducing _females _into the population…"

Riker chuckled at the Klingon's reaction, but he also immediately recognized the problem that Dr. Crusher's suggestion presented. "So Doctor, you're recommending that we send out _another_ transmission – this time to the Founders? A second message that will most likely draw _more_ rebel Jem'Hadar vessels to this system?" He raised an eyebrow. "I hope we brought a full complement of quantum torpedoes along with us."

Picard held up his hands and shrugged. "Why the hell not, Number One? The more the merrier, as they say, and our good Doctor does have a valid point. Let's establish a dialogue with the Founders and let them know that we can help _all_ Jem'Hadar who sincerely want it. If they're agreeable to our proposed solution, we'll offer to share the knowledge with them so that they can begin working on a larger scale to control the situation themselves."

Worf remained much more cautious. "We will no doubt attract more Jem'Hadar to this star system… additional combat _is_ inevitable."

The Captain nodded. "Yes, but in doing so we just might lure some of those ships away from the _Saga-2_ long enough for it to reach the wormhole and escape with _Columbia_. If we're lucky, they'll be back in time to assist us with any additional hostilities." He smiled with confidence. "Dr. Crusher, have your medical teams begin treating all of our captured Jem'Hadar as soon as they are beamed aboard the Arrowhead saucer. Follow _all_ security protocols as established by Commander Data – to the letter. When you're satisfied that your prisoners are ready for long-term recuperation, you have permission to begin transporting them to the camps on the planet's surface."

"_Acknowledged Captain_."

Riker chuckled with amusement. "I guess the new Gamma Quadrant wing of Starfleet Medical is now open for business," he said with a wink.

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, Starship _Volsunga Saga-2_, Stardate 54948.6:

* * *

Commander Nog was cautiously holding his breath a bit, but beginning to breathe somewhat easier as the _Saga-2_ continued to close on the Gamma Quadrant entrance to the Bajoran wormhole. They were traveling at a brisk Warp eight, and although the lower, secondary star drive section of the _Volsunga Saga_ could go faster still, without the upper star drive and Arrowhead segments fully connected the emergency speeds were not recommended.

_Unless all other options have failed, that is. Starfleet personnel always have to be prepared to take risks_.

Thankfully, things had worked out rather well for all of them. The separated _Saga-2_ was approximately 300 meters in length. Since _Columbia_ was a nimble 225 meters, all they needed to do once Captain Hernandez's vessel had been tractor beamed back into orbit was decide on the crtical, most strategically sound spots to connect both ships together. Four teams of specialists had worked carefully in EVA suits as they first lowered _Columbia_ into place on top of the _Saga-2_ and then welded it firmly in place.

In the end, the twenty-second century starship had settled into position almost identically in the spot where the _Saga-1_ would dock with them after they completed their delivery to DS9 and returned to Benini Five. There was naturally some extra space in front of and behind the NX-02, but overall the crew considered it to be a snug fit. Much of _Columbia_'s ventral exterior hull had been damaged in the planetary crash, but there was enough of the ship's internal superstructure left intact for them to work with. The connections were double-checked and pronounced sufficient by the orbital docking specialists they had brought with them.

With _Columbia_ secure and riding piggy-back on top of them, the _Saga-2_'s warp field easily extended around it. Anyone who observed them approaching using standard sensor sweeps would see one large ship – hopefully mistaking them for a massive battle cruiser. They were relying on that kind of intimidation factor to hopefully keep the threat of potential Jem'Hadar attacks minimized. Everyone knew they would be vulnerable all the way back to Deep Space Nine, and that was precisely why Nog had been placed in command… because he had fought the Jem'Hadar on many occasions during their long and brutal war with the Federation, and thus he understood Dominion strategy remarkably well.

Nog didn't usually talk about that war very much, even though he was surprised to wake up each morning now and discover that events many had thought would never end already seemed as though they had occurred a lifetime ago. As with all surviving Starfleet personnel, he had gone through some very dark times during the violent confrontations they had endured fighting against the short-lived Cardassian and Dominion Alliance. If anyone asked the young Ferengi what his worst memory was – and his friend Jake Sisko _had _asked him – Nog would consider his response very carefully and then declare the matter a tie. Two very rough experiences had rattled him to his very core, changing his outlook on life forever.

Losing a leg had been traumatic and unexpected, but that situation had not unfolded nearly as unpredictably as his on-the-spot promotion to Chief Engineer aboard the _Valiant_… a Defiant-Class starship that he and Jake had temporarily boarded to escape a Jem'Hadar patrol. The senior officers had perished in a prior clash, and the two friends from DS9 had discovered that the former training vessel was currently under command of an elite "Red Squad" of cadets from Starfleet Academy.

Nog had assisted them in repairing their engine problems, and Captain Tim Watters had taken advantage of the tactical improvements by going on the offensive against the Jem'Hadar. In the process, the young and overconfident Captain proceeded to take one too many gambles. The _Valiant_ had single-handedly confronted a very dangerous, very massive state-of-the-art Dominion warship, and in the end only Nog, Jake, and one other crewman had managed to escape with their lives.

That was why the Ferengi officer had difficulty defining his one toughest moment… losing a leg had been traumatic both physically and emotionally, but he considered his memories of the adrenalin surge during the sequence of events leading up to the destruction of the _Valiant_ to be equally unsettling. The loss of his leg had bothered him for awhile, but he had finally moved onward after Doctor Bashir had issued him a new prosthetic leg. That matter he had finally been able to consider closed.

But Nog's memories of Captain Watters and his crew continued to haunt him. He would discuss them only with Jake Sisko, and only _off_ the record. Jake had already written a full report on the story from his journalistic point of view, but Nog considered his own emotions and reactions to be both personal and private. He did not want them splattered all over the news headlines… to him that would only dishonor the memory of a very brave and unique set of young people. The Red Squad cadets had truly accomplished a lot during the eight months they were aboard _Valiant_, right up to the point where Watters had gotten careless. They had been both brave and loyal, forced into battle before they were completely ready. To judge them solely on that one single mistake that had ended with the destruction of the _Valiant_ would – in the Ferengi officer's opinion – simply overshadow all the good that Red Squad had done.

* * *

Commander Nog sat patiently in the command seat on the bridge of _Saga-2_, which was uniquely located – for a change – on the bottom of the saucer, just above the main deflector dish. He was watching the bustling activity of the crew surrounding him, noting how young and inexperienced they appeared. Too many people had died in the recent war, and too many had been recruited and passed through the Academy before they were totally ready. It was part of the risk factor the Federation had to take when times were tough… Starfleet needed new people out in the field, helping to stabilize the post-war situation and gaining experience as they did so.

"Status, Lieutenant Smalley," Nog requested. He eyed the data pad in his hand almost instinctively, noting the star chart displayed on it and the "safety points" that he had carefully predefined prior to their departure. If their mission encountered difficulty, he had chosen several tactically sound star systems which the starship could hastily retreat to and hide among long enough for the crew to evaluate an unexpected hostile situation. The _Saga-2_'s firepower was reasonable, but – given that the larger, overall starship had separated – not nearly overpowering, especially against larger warships.

The tall, thin officer standing behind him at tactical said nothing and instead continued his sensor sweeps of the area in front of them. Nog waited patiently for another few seconds and then repeated his command. "Status!" he said again, this time much more sharply.

Lt. Smalley glanced up with a frown. "Unchanged," he replied, a bit too smugly. "If anything out of the ordinary appears, you'll be the second to know, _Commander_."

As a Ferengi, Nog was familiar with racist behavior, particularly since many of his fellow Ferengi were not exactly considered to be among the Alpha Quadrant's most moral citizens. Their smaller stature only added to the problem, since those who were physically more powerful often considered them to be weak and ineffective in combat. Thus Nog had already seen both sides of the extreme – he had met overzealous cadets eager to please, who needed guidance so that they would not bite off more than they could chew, and he had also run into new and ambitious officers like Isaiah Smalley. As a battle hardened veteran of the Dominion war, he had a great deal of experience handling both types of people. He didn't care if Smalley's behavior was racist, or if he was simply having a bad day. It was inappropriate on the bridge of a starship.

Rising from his seat and turning toward the Lieutenant, Nog cleared his throat – making certain that his voice was loud enough for everyone on the bridge to hear. "I realize that I was thrust into command of the _Saga-2_ rather quickly," he acknowledged. "Some of you may not approve of that decision, but we are _here_ and we are currently in a very dangerous region of the Gamma Quadrant… Mr. Smalley, your attitude is emotional and out of line and I want you to correct it immediately."

Smalley stared at the smaller man with outright astonishment at first. Then his training, along with the imagined consequences of disobeying orders snapped him immediately to attention. "Yes _sir_," he said firmly.

Nog remained standing for another moment. "If I have to repeat an order one more time, I'm going to relieve you of duty. Is that _clear_ Lieutenant?"

Smalley squared his shoulders and stared straight ahead. "Quite clear, Commander Nog, sir."

Nog reseated himself and continued patiently waiting, watching the star shine fly past them on the forward viewscreen. From time to time he glanced back down at the data padd, noting their current position and comparing it to the next closest safety point. He noted that they were currently passing close to a significantly larger than normal star system off their port bow. The sun within the system was surrounded by dozens of planets, at least four of which were huge, roiling gas giants with massive gravity fields holding a very significant number of moons in tight orbits around them.

There would be a lot of places for them to hide in that system, which was identified on the padd's catalogue as Gamma-425. The _Saga-2_ would pass nearby the large star system, but not too closely unless they ran into trouble. Nog had been all too aware, when picking his potential hiding spots, that the destinations he chose were also perfect places for enemy ships to hide within for use in surprising them. He was determined not to let that happen.

* * *

It was difficult for Nog to remember how much time had passed since his last review of their status. Later he could recall waiting patiently as the distance to the wormhole continued to decrease. Without warning, the red alert klaxon sounded in response to _Saga-2_'s sensors detecting three unknown contacts emerging from the Gamma-425 system. Nog exhaled with frustration… they were only hours away from the wormhole entrance and safety. Sometimes it seemed as though all the precautions in the world meant absolutely nothing once it came time to actually go out in life and do things. He could see fear in his crew's eyes, fear of the Jem'Hadar and their infamous reputation as soldiers.

"Status," he snapped, putting enough aggressiveness in his tone to keep everyone alert and their minds focused.

"Two smaller Jem'Hadar attack cruisers and one warship… all three vessels are on course directly toward us bearing 195 mark 55." Smalley looked up and met Nog's eyes and – in that instant – the Commander could see with virtual certainty that the man had full control of himself.

"Drop out of warp and raise shields," ordered the Ferengi cautiously. "Hail the incoming ships, and include a copy of the Founders' message granting us permission to be in the Gamma Quadrant on our salvage mission."

He swiveled one of the control panels attached to the Captain's seat into position so that he could tap in to Smalley's tactical feed and glance at it now and then in addition to watching the viewscreen. With relief he noted that the larger warship was one of the standard, well known Dominion battle cruisers. It wasn't one of the newer ones like the monstrosity that the _Valiant_ and her crew had gone nose to nose with.

_The one that had been _twice_ the size of a Galaxy-Class starship with _three_ times the firepower._

"There's no response," Smalley told him after a minute. "Nothing… and sensors show that all three ships are charging weapons. They've come here looking for a fight, that's for sure."

"Have additional security report to the bridge immediately, just in case we're boarded."

Nog fingered the hand phaser attached to his belt as he gave the order. Lt. Smalley, already flanked on each side by two men with rifles accepted the order without question. "Aye sir," he replied firmly. There was growing anxiety in his voice, but for the moment it was held in check.

"Ensign Werner, do your best to keep the Dominion ships in front of us," Nog ordered, glancing toward the confident looking blonde woman manning the helm. "And _everyone_, please bear in mind that we've had plenty of time to prepare for this. Between the Dominion and the Borg, Starfleet has made quite a few advances in both weaponry and our defenses over the years. We've got the edge, so focus on doing your specific job and I promise you that everything will work out fine."

Together they watched the larger battle cruiser on the main viewscreen. It was huge, with a gun-metal grey superstructure and large warp nacelles that glowed with a bluish white light. The shield generators and other equipment alongside both sides of the main fuselage blazed bright purple, powered by an internal energy source. The two "beetle" shaped attack cruisers led the way, and although the warship was much less maneuverable at impulse, it was not far behind.

"They're definitely one of the rogue groups," reported Lt. Smalley with growing anxiety. "I'm detecting internal small weapons fire within the larger cruiser, and there are less than one thousand Jem'Hadar on board." His expression was one of utter disbelief. "They're fighting each other for control of that ship even as it moves to attack us!"

"All that matters to us is who currently controls their bridge," observed Nog. "If the Jem'Hadar in charge of command functions aren't talking, then it's a good bet they're going to shoot at us."

Smalley checked his data carefully before continuing his report. "Intelligence data says that a ship like that can carry at least four times the number of Jem'Hadar currently on board, especially if they're hauling soldiers into battle."

"Target the smaller attack vessels first," ordered Nog. "Ignore the battle cruiser and keep us as far from its weapons as possible. Use quantum torpedoes to disable the two smaller ships."

Smalley stared in shock at him. "_Disable?_" he almost whispered with disbelief.

"You heard me, Lieutenant," Nog growled. "Starfleet is not in the business of murdering people indiscriminately unless we have no other choice. That policy has not changed… we will abide by the terms of the cease fire agreement."

The _Volsunga-Saga-2_ slanted gracefully to starboard as it angled toward the incoming ships. The bridge crew worked quickly as the sound of the _Saga-2_ launching torpedoes was matched almost instantly by the rumbling of enemy weapons fire slamming against their own shields. The bridge shook noticeably, but – for the moment – everyone managed to hold his or her seat. As always, things could change in the blink of an eye as the battle progressed.

"The attack ships are setting us up… distracting us from the cruiser," pointed out Smalley. "We're taking heavy fire from the larger ship, and it has more guns to shoot with than the entire combined firepower of our fully connected starship."

"You have your orders," replied Nog, the intensity of his tone persistent, his decision final.

He studied the viewscreen intently, watching for weaknesses as they passed over one of the damaged beetle ships. Its entire upper surface was covered with blackened, burning hull breaches opened by the high-powered quantum torpedoes. An instant later, the second ship spun out of control as an additional salvo of torpedoes slammed into its shields and caused heavy structural damage. The smaller vessels were not a threat to the _Saga-2_'s advanced firepower, but the larger Dominion warship _was_, and it had moved behind them now. Relentlessly it continued moving on an intercept course as its weapons pounded away at their shields with volley after volley of pulsing, white polaron bursts.

"The computer is providing us with an analysis of the Jem'Hadar weaponry," Smalley said with a sigh of relief. "It is listing adjustment settings for our shield harmonics."

"Use them and adapt," ordered Nog. Behind him, Smalley nodded as he rapidly applied the computer's recommended changes to the shields. Seconds later the intense rumbling of the enemy fire smashing into their shields faded noticeably. The bridge was still shaking, but the _Saga-2_'s regenerative shielding had presented a new problem for the hostile Jem'Hadar to solve.

"Shields holding at 86 percent," said Smalley with a grin.

"Ensign Werner, do your best to keep our ventral hull between the warship and _Columbia_," said Nog firmly. "Don't let them get a good shot at our cargo." He quickly keyed a new course into the small swivel screen next to his right hand and eyed the projected results displayed. "Adjust course toward the Gamma-425 star system, coordinates 190 mark 51. Engage at three quarters impulse, gradually increasing to full impulse as we enter the system."

"Aye sir."

The _Saga-2_ dove toward port this time, rocketing beneath the large battle cruiser using a maneuver specifically designed to minimize the number of weapons hits as they passed by. The viewscreen image stayed focused on the cruiser as they flashed beneath it, and everyone got a good look at the size of the vessel as it immediately pivoted gracefully and resumed its pursuit course. _All that did was make them angrier_, Nog noted silently to himself.

"They're vulnerable on their ventral hull," noted Amanda Werner from her position at helm. "If we let loose with everything we have, we might be able to knock out their warp drive."

Dark, bitter memories of the _Valiant_ battle lost long ago flashed rapidly through Nog's mind as he listened to the comment. "Negative," he declared firmly as he mentally shoved the random thoughts aside – he would deal with them later. "That's been tried. It's a deliberate, minor design flaw on their part to tempt enemy ships into coming too close. If we do, we'll eventually have to fly away again to a safer distance. That will expose us, and the Jem'Hadar will concentrate their torpedoes on us point blank as we try to escape. They will break our shields much faster that way than maintaining our evasive pattern and relying upon our superior maneuverability." He growled in a fair imitation of Worf. "I say we make them work if they want to catch us."

"With respect, _how_ do you know that sir?" Ensign Werner persisted. She risked a quick look back at him curiously as he sat in the command seat, studying the incoming tactical data on the small screen to his right. She raised an eyebrow warily. "If we knock out their warp drive even temporarily, they'll never catch us before we reach the wormhole entrance and escape."

Nog glanced up just long enough to reassure her. "Because I've studied specifications like this before," he told her. "The battle cruiser's anti-matter warp core is reinforced with supporting struts alongside their ventral hull that are purposely designed with a material susceptible to Delta Radiation. It's a trap… I've witnessed torpedoes that I personally modified totally destroy those struts with the ship surviving intact." The memories of that battle tried to surface once again, but the Commander kept his attention focused. "What the Dominion doesn't tell you," he continued firmly, "is that the superstructure around their warp core is also reinforced internally on all sides within the ship and from above. It's a trap that many have fallen for, and I'm going to do my part to insure that no one ever does again."

The _Saga-2_ continued rocketing toward the star system ahead, and Nog noted with satisfaction that there were four large asteroid fields encircling the star that he could use to play cat-and-mouse within if the need arose. In his judgment that wasn't going to be necessary, because the Dominion military wasn't the only fighting force capable of setting traps. As ordered, Ensign Werner continued accelerating to full impulse as they entered the system.

The huge Dominion war cruiser pursued them relentlessly, lumbering right back into the star system it had earlier emerged from as it continued to pound them with pulse after pulse of phased polaron radiation. The _Saga-2_'s phasers repeatedly fired back at them, but those beams alone did not have nearly enough power to pierce the enemy's shields.

Again the bridge rumbled and shook around them, the impacts once again having more and more of a noticeable affect. Nog watched one of the junior officers pick himself up off the floor and return his attention immediately to the engineering station. An instant later the man opened an access hatchway and began cussing as smoke and flames poured out of it. "Bypassing to backups," he muttered under his breath.

Smalley checked his board. "They've adapted to our shield changes… I'm rotating harmonics to another new setting." He studied the changes closely. "We've still got 70 percent shields in place, but that will go down fast if we continue taking these kinds of hits."

"We're never going to outrun them at warp with _Columbia_ tied to our backs," noted Nog a bit irritably. "Fighting within this star system is our best chance, so deal with it Lieutenant."

Smalley shook his head grimly. "There's no way to detach without sending out people in EVA suits… the NX-02 had too much damage on its lower hull for anything but temporary welding."

The Commander chuckled. "Separation is not an option," he reminded Smalley. "Our mission is to bring _Columbia_ home and that's _exactly_ what we're going to do." He glanced up toward the young Bolian Ensign manning communications. "Send a distress call toward the wormhole entrance and Deep Space Nine. Let them know immediately that we've run into the Jem'Hadar and require assistance as soon as they can route additional ships here."

"Aye sir." The blue-faced Bolian worked for a moment with a frustrated look on his face. "They're jamming us sir… I doubt anything will get through."

Nog's own expression remained determined. "That's okay," he replied, "Keep trying." He directed his attention back toward the helm. "Ensign Werner, lay in an evasive course back toward the war cruiser. Move us in a rising arc above them so that _Columbia_ remains out of their line of fire… if our shields fail, I don't want that ship damaged."

"Yes sir," she said, complying with the order even though she knew the maneuver instead put _them_ firmly in the Dominion's optimum targeting range.

"Once we're behind them, circle the enemy ship and lay in a return course back toward the Gamma-425 sun. I want us on the other side of it as fast as possible, angling for the seventh planet in its orbital slot beyond. Heat the impulse engines if you have to… burn them at 115 percent until I tell you to stop."

Ensign Werner busied herself immediately in an effort to comply. As she worked, the bridge rumbled again and this time several consoles at the main sensor station overloaded… clouds of white smoke poured out of them. Their electrical innards had heated up to a point just short of combustion. Commander Nog glanced quickly at his status monitor, verifying that there weren't any major damage reports coming in. If they continued to take the pounding that _Saga-2_ was currently enduring, it was only a matter of time before the Jem'Hadar scored a hit on at least one critical system.

"Lt. Smalley, fire quantum torpedoes at them as we pass… empty the tubes!"

Their orange phaser beams splattered angrily against the huge warship's shields in a fantastic lightshow as the enemy ship's deflection technology worked steadily but surely to dissipate the energy. Two Jem'Hadar torpedoes flashed past the speedy Starfleet vessel as a third slammed home against the bottom of their saucer. The starship hesitated briefly as the impact rocked the entire vessel, and everyone who had time to glance at the viewscreen could see more torpedoes on the way. Once again, their superior maneuverability proved invaluable.

Ensign Werner frowned, then spun them away from the incoming weaponry and faced the _Saga-2_ back toward the nearby star system. Applying gradual impulse thrust in intermittent, unpredictable spurts, additional Dominion weapons fire missed them again and again. Seconds later, she re-applied full impulse thrust and they were suddenly plunging directly toward the Gamma-425 star. On the visual in front of them, one bright pinprick of light began to grow rapidly larger as they closed in at high velocity.

Nog swiveled in his seat and returned his attention to Smalley. "We scored four direct hits and two misses sir… not nearly enough. We could empty our entire arsenal of photons and quantum torpedoes at that thing and it would still have enough shields left to finish us off. That warship is a beast if ever I saw one… we have to hit it with sudden, overpowering force."

The Ferengi again focused on his tactical screen, evaluating options and mentally calculating how long it would take them to reach the far side of the star as he had ordered. Around them, the bridge shook again as more polaron bursts found their mark. To Nog's delight their adaptive, regenerative shielding _held_. He chuckled a little bit as he wondered what Commander Worf would think of the multiple shield options that were available _only_ to this particular class of starship.

Not only was Lt. Smalley capable of adapting and angling their shields to best defend against the incoming enemy fire, but the _Volsunga Saga_'s shield system also permitted him to put in place one or many different _layers_. Using multiple sets of emitters, the Lieutenant could allow the Dominion to pound repeatedly away at one set until they threatened to collapse and then simply switch to a new, fully powered set. As the new layer took effect, the powered down emitters made full use of what they needed most in a combat situation – time to recharge. With all three layers in place and the added safety of ablative hull armor, they were virtually invulnerable.

Nog finished his calculations and decided that they were ready to confront the Dominion warship a bit more aggressively. "Lt. Smalley, have torpedo control load a tri-cobalt charge into torpedo tube two. Have them set it to 40 percent yield and then stand by." He turned just far enough to catch the Lieutenant's eyes, knowing that the man would be understandably doubtful at the use of less than half the device's explosive capability. "_Trust me_," the Ferengi officer said softly to his tactical officer. Around them, things seemed to move almost in slow motion for an instant, and then the ship shook again violently. It felt almost the same as if they were being pounded back and forth by huge, angry unseen hands.

Lieutenant Smalley smiled with reassurance at Nog's confident gaze and resumed his work at the tactical station. "Instructions received in torpedo control," he reported. "Our shields are at 60 percent, ablative hull armor is holding firm at 97 percent. We have minor hull breaches on Deck 8, and I have several reports of injuries… none critical. The enemy warship continues to pursue us and is trying to match our high impulse velocity."

"Distance to the sun?"

"We're passing by it now… to starboard sir. We're maintaining a direct line toward planet number seven as ordered." Ensign Werner's confidence had increased as they continued to hold their own against the larger battle cruiser and its massive, superior firepower. Although she didn't realize it, the Ensign benefited greatly from Nog's experience that day as she realized that the Commander's pitch and roll tactics were keeping them alive and in fighting shape much longer than a toe to toe slugging match would have. Semi-vulnerable bottom hull or not, the Jem'Hadar warship was throwing a tremendous amount of firepower at them.

_And at least some of their crew is engaged in a mutiny aboard her at the same time!_

Nog remembered Smalley's comments about internal weapons fire aboard the Dominion ship, exhaling softly with disbelief. The Jem'Hadar were truly born and bred to fight in combat; there was absolutely no doubt about that in his mind.

"Pass the seventh planet to port," said the very determined Ferengi as he continued to study his own tactical console. "Be sure you make certain to give it a wide berth. As soon as we're on the other side, continue on course until I give the order to halt."

The booming jolts and shaking of the ship had continued, varying in intensity as Lt. Smalley expertly rotated their layered, regenerating shields. His constant recalibration of the shield harmonics was also allowing them to adapt very quickly to the constant changes in the Dominion cruiser's weapons pulses. Ensign Werner kept the Jem'Hadar honest with her evasive course changes, and most of the enemy torpedoes simply didn't have time to lock onto the speedy starship… even with the NX-02 securely locked in place on top of their dorsal hull. The starship was used to flying with almost twice its current mass, and as a result most of the Dominion torpedoes could not lock on in time to find their constantly zig zagging target. They could tell when one of the Jem'Hadar torpedoes did manage to connect squarely, because the ship would rock violently, tossing those who forgot to brace themselves first one way and then the other.

_But they continued to suffer only minor damage and injuries, and everyone knew that _Saga-2_'s weapons were scoring hits of their own_.

Nog was an experienced Starfleet officer surrounded by trained people who knew their jobs well, and on this day that was proving to be more than sufficient. He continued measuring the distance past the Gamma-425 star in his mind, visualizing the location of the "safe spot" that he had chosen earlier. As he did so, he double-checked their velocity carefully. With full impulse pushing them forward, the _Saga-2_ continued to roar through the star system at a rapid .9c. At 90 percent of light speed, they continued to accelerate toward the 100 percent threshold that would bring them to the very brink of warp. As expected, the non-stop rumbling of the ship's hull as enemy fire struck them was gradually beginning to decrease in intensity.

"They're falling behind us," said Ensign Werner in amazement, watching the beginning ripples of star shine on the viewscreen. "They can't keep up with our superior acceleration."

"That's correct," Nog grinned with growing satisfaction as they flashed past the seventh planet of Gamma-425 and out into open space. "We're giving them two choices… the first being that they can exercise patience and take their time in wearing us down..."

Behind him, Isaiah Smalley was grinning as Ensign Werner kept them running straight forward in a direct line now. "What's their second choice?" she asked curiously, shouting to be heard over the roar of the engines – an impulse drive that was currently pressed to its maximum limit at 115 percent of normal.

As she asked the question, the Dominion warship behind them vanished in a blur of warp speed… just a carefully calculated instant's worth. It was enough to jump them past the fleeing _Saga-2_ and place them directly in front of the Starfleet vessel. It was a risky maneuver within any star system, but particularly this one – with so many planets and so many various fields of heavy gravity. But the Jem'Hadar had been angered and their pride was on the line now. They decelerated in front of the _Saga-2_ and spun quickly back toward the Starfleet vessel, weapons blazing anew – this time from in front of them. Ahead the starship roared, straight into the heart of the lion's den.

Nog had expected the brief warp trip, which was precisely why he had ordered their course to stay away from the planet's heavier gravity. All they needed in the midst of an all out battle was for an unbalanced, battle-damaged enemy's warp field to crack a planet – or worse – for the sun to go nova. Such a chain reaction would end everyone's party in one hell of a hurry and cause a huge environmental catastrophe in the process.

_Not today_._ Today is a good day to live!_

"Ensign Werner, use evasive maneuvers until we're at point blank range and then dive to port. Once we're far enough away to keep their torpedoes honest, I want us pointed directly at their starboard hull. It's time to put an end to this nonsense."

"Aye sir." Ensign Werner's fingers danced over the helm console skillfully, inputting commands from hands that were driven as much by her adrenalin as from previous simulated and real life experience.

The _Volsunga-Saga-2_ swung expertly around the Dominion warship that had leaped almost instantaneously in front of them, and as they did so another Starfleet vessel decloaked opposite them, carefully pre-positioned facing the Jem'Hadar's port flank. Nog watched his tactical console with a chuckle of approval as Captain Goldwolf and the _Saga-1_ appeared in a direct line between them – bisecting his carefully chosen "safe spot".

"Lt. Smalley, your target is the warship's starboard containment structure, right in front of their engine mount. Lock on tube two and fire the tri-cobalt charge."

"Aye aye, Commander."

All of them watched the Dominion warship try to turn itself as quickly as possible to face the new threat. Until now, the Jem'Hadar had been content to slug relentlessly away at _Saga-2_, knowing the small starship's shields and ablative hull armor would eventually give out. Yet suddenly a second starship had appeared with even more firepower than the first, and the large Dominion battle cruiser listed noticeably to port and then to starboard as a combined phaser and quantum torpedo attack from both ships hammered their shields to the brink of extinction. On the viewscreen, Nog also observed Goldwolf's more powerful pulse phasers blazing away, repeatedly hammering into the enemy cruiser.

"We could use a set of those over here, too," he mumbled to himself.

Miraculously the Jem'Hadar's defensive screens held for a moment longer, until _Saga-2_'s phasers struck the starboard hull, weakening the defensive screens just long enough for the Tri-Cobalt torpedo following to penetrate. The powerful weapon pierced the exterior hull and vanished inside the exposed Dominion cruiser. Seconds later a massive explosion blew large sections of fragmented metal plating off of its surface.

Lt. Smalley had a confident grin on his face. "Their starboard containment system has been compromised," he observed cautiously. "Enemy shields are at forty-seven percent and dropping."

Nog didn't hesitate for an instant. "Let them have it Lieutenant," he ordered. "Target engines and shield generators… I want you to give them the business, but don't breach their warp core."

Smalley did hesitate for an instant. "Sir?"

The Ferengi grinned. "I told you, we're bringing these rengades back _alive_," he insisted, watching major fires erupt in several places along the battle cruiser's starboard hull. "Next time they decide to hide in a star system to set up an ambush, maybe they'll remember to make a detailed sensor sweep first to insure that no one got there _before_ them," he growled under his breath, watching the fiery display with a bit of euphoria building within him. Not only were he and Captain Goldwolf beating the tar out of a Dominion war cruiser – a feat that the _Valiant_ by itself had been unable to accomplish – but they were sparing the enemy's lives in the process.

_Avoid excessive use of force_… _always_.

That was one of the Academy slogans drilled into their heads over and over during training sessions. Only those who understood its meaning fully would ever receive command of a starship.

This time it was _Saga-2_'s turn to open fire with everything they had left. Once again Ensign Werner had maneuvered them into a tactically superior position above the crippled warship while Lt. Smalley fired phasers and quantum torpedoes into the Dominion vessel's most critical, vulnerable systems.

As _Saga-2_ renewed its fiery assault, the Jem'Hadar's weapons fell silent and everyone watched as _Saga-1_ launched its own tri-cobalt torpedo at the port side. Mere seconds later, the entire Dominion warship was afire, from one end to the other and top to bottom. It listed sharply this time to starboard, while Nog and Lt. Smalley both carefully studied the sensor scans as displayed on their tactical consoles.

"They've suffered _heavy_ structural damage, and have no choice except to jettison their warp core," grinned Smalley. The armed security officer to his right couldn't resist a shout of triumph. "It's going to breach in minutes… with the containment system so seriously damaged I doubt that there's anything they can do to stop it." Applause broke out from the other relieved personnel manning the _Saga-2_'s battle bridge.

Commander Nog and the rest of them continued to watch the fiery display on the main viewscreen as the Comm-officer's console beeped suddenly for attention. Nog's gaze shifted instantly to the Bolian. "Ensign Ravot, please patch the incoming transmission through to the main viewscreen."

Ravot nodded and the image of a smiling Henry Goldwolf replaced that of the burning Dominion warship. "_Nice shooting,_ Saga-2!" gloated Captain Goldwolf. "_You folks make one hell of a decoy! You're welcome to go duck hunting with me anytime!_"

Nog chuckled, his sharp teeth displayed in a wide grin. "Captain Goldwolf, have you been _following_ us?" he asked curiously, doing his best to lighten the mood on a bridge currently manned by some very tense, adrenalin-charged junior officers. For the moment, their life and death situation was over… and _life_ had very fortunately prevailed on this occasion.

"_You're _damn_ right I was_," Goldwolf replied. "_Fortunately for you, I even scouted ahead a bit. These Jem'Hadar function using the bully mentality… they like to be bigger and stronger. So we're left with few alternatives other than misdirection and subterfuge_."

"Don't forget the art of deception, Captain." Nog checked his tactical console, picking out the important details of the moment. "Long range scans are not detecting additional enemy ships in the vicinity. You should know that we left two of the smaller attack cruisers disabled outside this star system… I'm reasonably certain that most of their crews are still alive and probably in the process of making repairs."

"_Well, we'll just have to add them to our growing club of renegades,_" acknowledged Henry Goldwolf, his tone of voice sounding quite pleased. "_Since your communications were jammed all the way in, we took the liberty of alerting Deep Space Nine for you. Rest assured, reinforcements are already on the way – just in case someone else wants to pick a fight_." He paused as he ran a check of his own tactical data. "_As soon as those boys aboard that Dominion behemoth have finished dumping their warp core, you and I can move in and tractor them to a safe distance. Without shields, the resulting explosion is likely to be more than that battleship's stressed superstructure can take_."

Nog's tone was more cautious. "If the soldiers aboard that vessel truly are Ketracel-deprived, their behavior is likely to be extremely unpredictable," he pointed out. "It's quite possible some of them might continue to fire at us. Lt. Smalley reports that there were internal fights taking place among the crew even as that ship attacked us."

Henry Goldwolf thought the matter over for a moment. "_I say we tow them back to the other two ships and wait for the other starships to arrive_," he suggested finally. "_If they want to try and shoot at us using partially powered weapons while we have full shields in place, I'll use_ Saga-1's _pulse phasers again and knock some sense into them. If they behave, they'll get to live…_" He pondered the matter for a moment. "_Although at least four months of their foreseeable future will likely be spent on the surface of Benini Five_."

"That sounds good to me," Commander Nog decided, agreeing with Goldwolf's assessment of the situation. "Although next time, I would really appreciate it if _you_ be the decoy while _we_ hide nearby using the _Defiant_'s cloaking device."

Captain Goldwolf laughed heartily. "_I've never much cared for them. But now that I've got one of these things, I'd really like to keep it_," he said sincerely. "_I realize the Jem'Hadar have ways of seeing through the damned thing, but keeping the planet between us and you really helped matters. They were so focused on attacking you that they never even bothered to watch for an invisible ship slipping into the system from the opposite side. A cloak may not be perfect as a defense against their sophisticated sensor sweeps, but I doubt we would have surprised them so completely without it_." A thought occurred to him. "_How is the_ Columbia?" he asked. "_A little shaken, I would guess?_"

Again Nog chuckled. "_You won't find one additional scratch on her, sir_," he reported cheerfully. "_As soon as additional starships arrive, the NX-02 is going home to the Alpha Quadrant!_"

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, Near the Gamma-425 Star System, Stardate 54948.9:

* * *

Later that same evening, Commander Nog met with Captain Goldwolf aboard the _Saga-1_ a final time before they parted company once again. They stood alone in one of the conference rooms, watching the starships _Malinche _and _Thunderchild_ through the large observation windows. Both of the Starfleet vessels had arrived prepped and ready for combat, but were pleasantly surprised to find that the situation had already been settled satisfactorily in favor of the Federation. Their Captains were used to that… Henry Goldwolf was well renowned throughout Starfleet for his ability to come out on the winning end of any bar room brawl, even a space-based one.

"The Federation was not exaggerating the problem over here," Nog admitted.

The newly arrived starships were in the process of transporting all of the Jem'Hadar from the two smaller ships to pressurized decks aboard the shattered remains of the war cruiser. After that, their orders were to tow it back to Benini Five, whereupon Captain Picard would have final say as to sentencing. Thus far, Dr. Bashir's addiction rehabilitation program was the standing order.

"Don't worry Nog," the Captain said reassuringly as he put a hand on the Ferengi's shoulder. "The damage looks worse than it is – we've had detailed specifications on that configuration for many years now. They're not carrying thousands of soldiers in cargo bays for planetary deployment this time around, so we knew right where to hit them hard without major casualties."

The Ferengi grinned. "I realize that… it's just puzzling. My people look first to doing business with other races. We can be a bit greedy and manipulative at times, but we're not bloodthirsty killers. Violence, as a rule, has always been a last resort for us or a choice selected by the most desperate. If a deal goes badly, we move on to the next possibility rather than seek revenge."

Goldwolf smiled… standing at his full height next to Nog he seemed even more of a huge bear. "It says a lot about you, that you work so hard to offer compassion to those who would in turn kill you. That's exactly the integrity Starfleet searches for when it recruits its best and brightest."

The Ferengi shrugged his shoulders. "More of us should have survived the _Valiant_," he pointed out. "The Jem'Hadar regularly target non-combatants – including helpless escape pods – just as easily as they shoot at an armed opponent. Life means nothing to them." He was silent for a moment, letting the anger he had earlier pushed aside boil over just a little bit. "If you had been delayed and unable to fulfill your end of our plan, I would have not hesitated to obliterate that Dominion battleship. Lt. Smalley could just as easily have targeted them with full tri-cobalt yields."

"Starfleet Command knows that Nog – these attacks _have_ to stop. That's exactly why we came prepared for a duel mission… and why Dr. Bashir was given the go ahead to establish his recovery camp on Benini Five. The Dominion have ruled over all the species in this quadrant with an iron fist for generations, and suddenly many of the drug-starved Jem'Hadar are out of their control. A great many helpless civilians are caught directly in the middle of this, and the Founders have not yet recovered enough to handle the situation. It's going to take a great deal of time, even with this mysterious 'link' that Ambassador Odo is using to communicate with them. Salvaging _Columbia _was only our first step; Starfleet Admirals granted Captain Picard full authority to proceed with the rehabilitation program once the Doctor okayed the planet as suitable for his purposes."

Nog didn't say anything for a few minutes; he just stood there watching the other two starships take the Dominion war cruiser in tow. Tractor beaming it back to the planet would require additional time, but both starships were fully capable of covering for each other if additional renegades made an appearance.

"_How_ does he know?" Nog asked suddenly, his voice filled with curiosity.

Goldwolf glanced down. "How does _who_ know… _what_?" he asked with puzzlement.

"How does Dr. Bashir know that the recovery technique he developed actually works?" wondered Nog, gesturing toward the starships in the distance. "If we haul all those Jem'Hadar to the Benini system and his treatment doesn't help them overcome their addiction, then what? They're going to be even more angry…"

The Captain nodded with understanding. "We don't hedge our bets these days, Commander. We already _know_ it works," he promised.

"Really?"

"Unofficially, not all prisoners of war were released and allowed to return to the Gamma Quadrant. Those that gave the order to do terrible things, such as torture prisoners, hide among civilians and shoot escape pods full of fleeing people – didn't all get to go home again. They're serving time on Federation penal colonies until such time as we decide that they've atoned for their crimes. Some of them have life sentences."

Nog thought the matter over some more. "But the drug…?"

"That's the secret weapon we have against them," noted Goldwolf. "Some of our Jem'Hadar prisoners were extremely violent at first, until they realized that Starfleet must go to great lengths in order to obtain Ketracel-White for them."

The Ferengi nodded with understanding. "Great lengths are required because the Dominion government is in disarray and Starfleet must take risks bypassing the renegade ships in order to obtain it for them."

"Quite correct."

The two of them watched the _Malinche _and _Thunderchild_, with the Dominion warship safely in tow between them, leap back into warp. In a bright, glowing flash of light the three ships vanished into the distance, on course back to Benini Five and the _Enterprise_. "Suffice it to say that the Jem'Hadar had never been offered mercy in the manner that the Federation offers it. Dr. Bashir accepted several volunteers to undergo a prototype test on one of the prison planets. His procedure worked successfully, and he is fully confident that it will also work for any Jem'Hadar we deliver to Benini Five. With any luck, the Founders will accept our offer to share the knowledge so that eventually _all_ of their soldiers can be freed of the drug."

Nog watched the distant stars glitter, his thoughts continuing to race back and forth. Like the Vulcans, he couldn't keep himself from feeling anxiety and fear during dangerous situations… all he could do was practice training himself to cope with the emotions properly. It had taken a lot of hard work, but he considered himself one of the lucky ones… since he had survived long enough to gain the life experience necessary to cope with them.

"Just so you know, I'm submitting a commendation for you with Starfleet," said Goldwolf. "No one who survived the war has risked more or sacrificed more for the survival of the Federation and its allies than you. This is only the _second_ large battle cruiser we've run across in recent months… for the most part we've only had to deal with the smaller attack vessels. So you may not realize it, but what we have accomplished here today is a tremendous blow to the ongoing chaos in this quadrant."

"Thank you _sir_," said Nog sharply, snapping to full attention. He gestured toward the door. "I'd better be getting back to the _Saga-2_. There's still the matter of _Columbia_ and my mission to return her to Deep Space Nine…"

Henry Goldwolf laughed. "That's correct," he agreed. "And you have a lot less to concern yourself with this time. The wormhole is only a short distance away," he paused to wink, "and you now know for certain that I am _indeed_ following you as promised… even if your backup support remains cloaked and hidden in the process."

"I never doubted for an instant that you would keep your word." Nog smiled and chuckled with amusement.

"I'll continue scouting ahead, but remember that the Dominion has already demonstrated its ability to penetrate cloaking shields on several previous occasions. So on our way back to the Benini system, it is quite possible that you may get your wish and have to come to _my _rescue the second time through this quadrant."

"That would be a story I would _love_ to tell around campfires," grinned Nog. He shook his head at the memories boiling to the surface in his mind. "When Captain Sisko first met me, I was just a boy… stealing from one of the shops in the Promenade on Deep Space Nine. So you have no idea how much it meant to me when he agreed to sponsor my application to Starfleet Academy."

"If he could only see you now," Henry Goldwolf said with a hearty laugh.

Nog turned for the exit, but Goldwolf's hand on his shoulder held him firmly one last moment.

"Tim Watters thought he had to take on the entire Dominion all by himself," the Captain said pointedly. "_That's_ the big mistake that he made… he counted on _his_ team to succeed when he should have fallen back, reported in to Starfleet, and relied on the _entire_ team. A tactical retreat in the face of probable defeat is _not_ a lack of courage; it is a crucial element of survival, and it keeps the people under your command alive."

"I know that now," Nog replied. "Unfortunately, we all have to survive long enough to learn those things."

"We do indeed," nodded Goldwolf. "All of us are people with emotions. Even the Vulcans are capable of making mistakes at any time on any given day. They're just a lot less likely to admit it." He smiled warmly. "The war is over, and so is the _Valiant_ incident. I suggest you put all of that behind you and let historians decide what was right, wrong, or simply a controversial action. I can assure you, the people who debate them and make judgments will be people who weren't actually there, feeling the adrenalin surge, and trying to make life or death decisions in conditions that would panic an average civilian."

"Thanks for your faith in me, Captain. You are a kind hearted person and it has been an _honor_ to serve with you."

"The honor was mine. By commanding the _Saga-2_ and _-3_, both you and Commander Data have allowed me to keep my own command team together. Smalley is good, but he's not ready for the center seat yet."

"Lt. Smalley is a _master _of this new, regenerative shield technology," agreed Nog. "Perhaps I will submit a commendation or two of my own."

"Just enter them in your log," replied Goldwolf with his wide grin. "They'll be taken care of."

He watched the young Ferengi leave the room proudly, glad that he was privileged to work with such a fine young man.

* * *

Upon returning to the _Saga-2_, Nog promptly ordered Ensign Werner to resume course for the wormhole. After that, he returned to his quarters and took a few minutes to replicate a snack. When he was done eating, he took a quick sonic shower and then checked the sub-space transmission log. To his surprise, he saw that the _Thundercloud_ had relayed a personal message to him from Deep Space Nine. Shaking his head, he activated the message and swiveled the desk monitor so that he could see it better as the familiar face of his Uncle Quark appeared.

"_Hello Nog, how are you?_" On the recording, Quark had his arms folded firmly in front of him and the deep frown on his face threatened to darken the entire room. The familiar sight of Quark's bar dominated the background of the image – it was obvious he was recording the message _as_ he continued to fill drink orders. "_I'm feeling a little disappointed here myself. Commander Hazelton tells me that your tour of duty over there has been _extended_ for at least four to five months. Have you _forgotten_ that your Father is the Grand Nagus and his _birthday_ is coming up soon? If you're not on Ferenginar for the celebration, you're going to shame the entire family, not to mention me. I already _promised_ your step-mother that you would make it home, since you specifically told me that your mission as an advisor on this trip was quote: 'just a quick little salvage mission'_."

Nog chuckled and smiled his pointy-toothed smile once again. _When your Father is Grand Nagus, the Gamma Quadrant is actually_ safer _than family reunions_, he thought to himself as he finished putting on his uniform.

"_I'm _still _opposed to this whole Starfleet business, you realize_," Quark continued. "_The bar here has never been the same since you and your Father left… no one counts the latinum or polishes the glasses as well as you two. So anytime you want to resign your commission and come back to Uncle Quark, you've always got a job here with me_." He pointed angrily at the screen. "_But _remember _your Father's birthday… it may not matter to you but _I'm_ the one who's going to take the heat if you're not there_."

The transmission faded away and more of the tension from the battle easing as Nog laughed at his Uncle's scolding manner. "Don't worry Uncle Quark," he said softly to himself. "If we're not back in the Alpha Quadrant in time for Dad's birthday, I have a feeling I'll be able to take a week or two of leave."


	12. A Kid's Point Of View

**DISCLAIMERS:** _The following is fan fiction utilizing events and characters from SIX "Star Trek" television incarnations including a character first introduced in the short-lived Saturday morning cartoon. As a kid, the animated series was my first exposure to Star Trek and is still unofficially recognized as the "fourth season" of the original series. You will also find bits and pieces sprinkled here and there throughout each chapter from the feature films. _

_It is fan fiction only… there is no intent to collect income or infringe on the trademarks, copyrights, or patented work of others. Please DO NOT use this material for anything other than pure reading enjoyment. If you have been missing at least occasional new "Star Trek" episodes in your life, this is the place to come. It is rated "T" for teen, but be forewarned – there is some mature PG-13 type (MPAA rating) content also contained within._

_This novel switches back in forth through time - chronicling occurrences that span all televised generations of Star Trek. The primary, central focus of this tale centers around the 24__th__ Century… shortly before the events of the "Star Trek: Insurrection" feature film. Many of the professionally published book storylines have at times varied from what we have seen on screen anyway. Thus the majority of what you will read is based upon my own ideas combined with the stories that we have viewed at home on TV and while munching popcorn in the movie theatres._

_My sincere thanks to Gene Roddenberry and the owners of the Trek franchise who created this imaginative, optimistic future universe for our imaginations to play in! Kudos also to Hal Sutherland and Samuel. A. Peeples for their wonderful animated episode "Beyond The Farthest Star"… the inspiration behind much of this story. _

* * *

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter XI: A Kid's Point Of View**

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54948.3:

* * *

Icheb continued his rhythmic, soft-paced stride down the corridor toward the mess hall as Naomi Wildman cheerfully ran ahead of him. She had heard that there were children on board _Voyager_, as part of the Rafali delegation. Thus, she had spent a great deal of time the previous evening begging her Brunali friend to come along with her and meet them. In the end, Icheb had sighed and finally consented, promising to arrange a meeting with Governor Ruksin's kids the following morning at breakfast. 

Like Seven of Nine, Icheb was a former Borg drone who had been liberated from the Collective by Captain Janeway and her crew. He was a very determined, intelligent young man who looked upon Seven as both a mentor and role model. As a result he had progressively begun to mirror many of her trademark mannerisms, particularly her fondness for studying interstellar objects. Like Seven, most days he practically lived in the Astrometrics lab unless homework assigned to him by his mentor led him elsewhere. But he still liked being 'just a kid' once in a while, so when Neelix had made his monumentally difficult decision to remain behind on a Talaxian mining colony Naomi's need for a friend at least somewhere around her own age had become immediately obvious to everyone. Soon after, Icheb had developed a very close relationship with her… although not related by blood they were now virtually brother and sister in the eyes of most of the crew.

Naomi was the half human, half Ktarian daughter of Ensign Samantha Wildman, one of _Voyager_'s intrepid crew members lost in the Delta Quadrant. Wildman was a Xenobiologist currently married to a husband who was serving on Deep Space Nine, almost half a galaxy away. In a unique and unexpected visit the previous evening, Naomi's father had actually managed to spend a few minutes chatting with both wife and daughter. For many years, it had seemed unlikely that the event would ever happen.

During the starship's most recent daily communications connection with Starfleet, however, Icheb had been present when a message from Naomi's Father was relayed to them. He had assisted Seven in Astrometrics as she fine-tuned the incoming transmission during the entire session. Samantha and her daughter had interacted playfully with Naomi's father, told stories, and shared a family relationship that at times seemed as though they had never been apart. Although _Voyager_ was still over 30,000 light years distant, the family connection bonding the three of them was undeniable.

Naomi slowed her pace as she approached the entrance to the mess hall, and Icheb called out to her. "That was quite the conversation you and your mother had last night. What did you say your father's name was again?"

The youngest Wildman turned at the sound of his voice, her blonde locks flying around her shoulders. "Greskrendtregk," she replied pleasantly.

"Gres… krun… tr…" Icheb trailed off and paused in mid-step to scratch his head, trying to hold back a laugh at the odd sounding pronunciation coming from the mouth and sweet voice of a little girl. "That's hard to pronounce, and _not_ exactly a normal sounding name."

"He's my _father_," Naomi said proudly. "Haven't you studied the Alpha Quadrant? It's not exactly a normal place either, but that's where Mom and I are from."

Icheb nodded. "You and Ensign Wildman talked to him for over twenty minutes last night," he noted. "Most people are limited to eleven minute increments… how come you're so special?"

"Mom and I are a _team_," the young girl declared firmly, waiting impatiently for him to catch up to her. "I picked one of the lowest numbered lots in the last drawing held, so Crewman Telfer traded with Mom so that we could go in together and have twice the time." She shrugged her small shoulders. "He said that he wasn't feeling well and wanted to stop by and see the Doctor anyway, so everything worked out for the best. I hope his rash is better."

Although it was barely past 7:00 a.m. on the starship, the mess hall was filled with a rather lengthy line of hungry crew members loudly chattering away as they waited for breakfast to be served. Some of the Yukshaan and Rafali people that had come aboard for the diplomatic talks were also present, and Icheb gazed in wonder at the diverse mix of people all standing around while waiting for the kitchen staff to complete the morning meal. He sniffed the air suspiciously, noted the smoke pouring over the countertop separating the rest of the mess hall from what used to be the Captain's personal dining room, and realized something was definitely burning.

Lt. Tuvok stood behind the counter wearing Neelix's traditional bright yellow print apron, and dark black smoke rose from one of the pans next to him. In a second large skillet he was busy stirring some sort of spiced meat mixture, and a third contained a huge steaming heap of what looked to be scrambled eggs. Two other _Voyager_ crew members, Mark Evans and James Belfield, stood behind Tuvok, also wearing aprons and working quickly to make certain that – as one pan emptied – the Lieutenant had additional ingredients at his disposal so that he could immediately continue cooking breakfast for well over one hundred.

"Come on Lieutenant, we haven't got all day," growled one of the impatient, waiting crewmen. "I'm going to lose my bonus replicator rations if I'm late for a shift again, and judging by the smell you've created I'm going to need them!"

_Voyager_'s tactical officer straightened the chef's hat he wore and glanced toward the man who had spoken. "If you will recall," he said pointedly, "I stated very honestly when asked to fill in for Crewman Harren that cooking was not one of my strong suits. However, he had no choice but to pull a double shift down on Deck 15 and I was thus drafted into my current situation."

The Lieutenant began spooning a combination of the eggs and meat mixture from the two non-burning pans onto the plates of people waiting in line. "Uggh," said Chakotay as he accepted his portion of the meal. "That smell is _not _very appetizing, Tuvok. What are you serving for desert… fire extinguishers?" He chuckled with amusement at the Vulcan's stoic non-reaction to his joke.

Tuvok raised his eyes to meet Chakotay's, then picked up the burning pan and – being careful as he handed the hot, smoldering remnants of his third menu item to one of the men behind him – he sighed heavily. "I am afraid that the smell you are referring to is all that is left of my attempt to create leola root hash browns," he said with as much fluster as a Vulcan would ever manage. "The crew considers them to be one of Neelix's specialties, so I decided to add a treat to the usual fare. Unfortunately, given the circumstances, we will have to settle for eggs, sausage and orange juice today. I would suggest that anyone who is still hungry make use of a replicator and create a side of toast or fresh fruit cocktail."

Chakotay nodded. "I've pulled a few shifts in your shoes since Neelix left," he admitted with a wince at the unpleasant memories. "Head chef and chief bottle washer is not nearly as easy as Neelix made it seem, is it?"

Tuvok did not hesitate with his response. "No it most certainly is not," he declared using his strong, deliberate tone of voice. "After several certifiable failures on my part in a most determined effort to match his cooking style, you will never hear me speak ill of Mr. Neelix's cooking again. I sincerely regret his decision to remind behind at the Talaxian colony. In addition to his immensely optimistic personality, his contributions in the kitchen have very much been missed during his absence."

B'Elanna Torres had arrived late and was standing near the rear of the line, watching the two with an amused smile and a shake of her head. Chakotay had always been an early riser, but these days he easily beat her to work most mornings since she was very pregnant and needed the extra rest. Captain Janeway had rotated Torres' normal duty shifts to accommodate her pregnancy, and that had helped matters tremendously. On this day, however, sleeping in late had worked out for the best anyway because standing at the back of the group was a polite way of letting their guests from Yukshaan and Rafali Prime go first. Governor Ruksin was in front of her with his wife and four children, and – having observed Naomi and Icheb as they eagerly entered the mess hall – B'Elanna quickly waved them over and encouraged them to budge in front of her. She was very hungry and perhaps, she hoped, Tuvok's next batch of eggs would be better than the one he was currently serving.

Naomi glanced up toward the front of the line and – having overheard most of the conversation between Tuvok and Chakotay despite all of the other chatter surrounding them – she waved at them and hopped excitedly up and down. "Why don't you let Commander Data do the cooking?" she asked. "We have an android on board now, and he's supposed to be extra fast and _very_ precise at everything he does." She stared at them. "Isn't he?"

As she spoke, Tuvok's hand froze in mid-air. He was holding a spatula full of eggs, and his expression never changed as the First Officer immediately began to laugh. "Naomi, you're going to get another recommendation from me towards that Captain's Assistant position you've been after," he said with a hearty laugh and a wide grin. "That's one of the _best_ suggestions I've heard in quite a while!"

"Thanks," she replied as the compliment produced a red blush of embarrassment on her cheeks.

Still smiling at Naomi, Chakotay accepted his steaming plate of food and moved over to sit down at a corner table with one of the alien visitors. Upon asking B'Elanna several quick questions, Naomi was able to discover that the man he was eating with was the only Stefe'en delegate that had chosen to come aboard _Voyager_. "His name is Joseth Addersbay," B'Elanna told Naomi. "He's a rural landowner… a farmer from their home world."

Icheb raised an eyebrow at her response, his own curiosity growing. As usual, however, the young and energetic Naomi continued with her non-stop questions before he could say anything. "Don't they have any _delegates_ to send, like everyone else?" the young girl wondered curiously.

B'Elanna smiled and put a hand on the young girl's shoulder. "I don't know for sure," she replied as she thought the matter over carefully before replying. "From what I'm told I think that they're _all_ farmers or small supply shop owners. According to the Captain, Joseth _wanted_ to come along. He's never been in space and wanted to see what our starship looked like."

The mess hall door opened repeatedly as more crew members in search of something to eat entered. As they did so, Naomi Wildman carefully watched the incoming people, searching each group for familiar faces. That was how she happened to notice first that Commander Data was among one of the newest groups of early risers.

"_New cook!_" she shouted at the top of her lungs, pointing a finger directly at Data. "_New cook!_"

All conversation momentarily ceased in the room as some people glanced around to see who had shouted while others wondered why the first group of people were anxiously searching the room.

"_New cook!_" Naomi shouted again, continuing to point at Data. "We want to see a demonstration of your android abilities, and we want to see them _now!_"

The rest of the people gathered remained silent a moment longer, then decided to agree with her. Within seconds, the entire room was chanting, pointing at the startled android and shouting "_New cook! New cook! New cook!_" at the top of their lungs. Even the Yukshaan and Rafalians got into the act, joining in the fun as Commander Data stood in the center of it all… smiling his unique, tentative android smile at all of the sudden attention. Without another word, Lt. Tuvok untied the bright yellow apron and handed it across the counter in Data's general direction. The meaning behind his offer was quite obvious.

"Come on Data, show us how to multi-task!" Chakotay called out from his seat opposite Joseth Addersbay. Other encouraging cheers and shouts of encouragement filled the room with excited conversation and Data decided not to hesitate. With a quick bow of respect to the Lieutenant, the android graciously accepted the passing of the ceremonial apron and chef's hat. With a confident expression on his golden yellow face he trotted behind the counter, flexing the fingers of both hands as he did so.

Then the Delta Quadrant version of Commander Data proceeded to show everyone just _how_ truly skilled and efficient he was at running a mess hall…

* * *

After breakfast was over, Governor Ruksin's children gathered around the kitchen countertop along with Naomi and Icheb. The young people were flanked on both sides by a small group of curious crew members who weren't immediately on duty. Evans and Belfield continued to provide assistance to the new, 'official' head chef, assisting Data by piling all of the dirty dishes into large containers and then hauling them toward another section of the kitchen for cleaning. While they did so, the android glanced at a data padd listing the week's menu and continued his preparations for the next, upcoming mid-day meal. 

There were already four large sheet cakes setting on the rear counter, and the sweet, fresh aroma of another one baking tantalized everyone's sense of smell. Data smiled politely as he put on oven mitts and carefully removed the fifth cake from the oven and set it next to the others so that it could cool. Then he took a sixth pan, already filled by Evans with an unbaked cake mixture, and loaded it into the oven. Spinning quickly about, he picked up a sharp knife and walked over to the first four cakes… unlike the newest cake just out of the oven, these had sat on the countertop long enough to cool completely. Sizing up the situation at a glance, the android very quickly and expertly cut each cake, one by one, so that each yielded twenty four identical slices.

Ruksin's youngest boy Kyler giggled with absolute delight as the group of onlookers observed Data finish neatly cutting the fourth cake into two dozen additional servings. He was so quick and so accurate that the first three were finished almost before anyone could blink twice. Within seconds all four cakes were perfectly sliced and ready to go. The android washed the knife and then placed it next to the fifth pan so that he could slice it up as well once it finished cooling.

In addition to the six year old Kyler, Ruksin also had two twin boys who were roughly thirteen years old. Their names were Nohri and Dohri, and both of them had intently watched the cutting process as Data sliced each cake. "How can you move so fast?" asked Dohri curiously.

"I am an android," he responded. "A highly advanced machine with a computer brain and sophisticated programming that allows me to simulate the human who created me."

Young Kyler's jaw dropped. "You're a _robot_?"

Data regarded the young boy thoughtfully. "Essentially… although in my case I am a highly advanced and unique individual," he pointed out. "I am capable of emulating humanoid behavior, and substantially more when the need arises."

Ruksin's sixteen year old daughter shook her head with dismay. "I've watched Mom make cakes before, but I haven't ever seen anyone slice that fast," she observed. "Do you ever cut yourself?"

Data pondered the matter. "I work in an extremely dangerous occupation," he admitted to them. "So on occasion I have been damaged. However, when in need of repair I usually stop by a starship's engineering section rather than visit a Doctor in the manner that you would. My constitution is not biological as yours is… it is mechanical."

Kyler was standing on a chair with his elbows on the countertop, leaning forward with his chin on his hands. "What are you going to do next?" he asked with extreme and focused interest.

The android paused only briefly. "I am going to make sandwiches," he declared. "Since I am on duty in two hours, lunch will have to be prepared quickly. As you have noticed, my speed in preparing food is essentially limited only by the time it takes the ingredients to cook. Yesterday's chef baked forty loaves of bread in preparation for today's meals. However, since we need both meat and cheese, replicator energy will also be necessary in order for me to properly create a suitable lunch to go with the cake we are serving."

Naomi was standing on a chair next to Kyler. "Can we watch that too?" she asked.

"Of course," Data replied, pausing briefly to let the children anticipate what he was going to do next. "The data padd left by Lt. Tuvok states that there will be 148 Voyager crew members who are not using personal replicator rations… people available for lunch today. I also know that there are a total of 73 visitors on board, which gives me a total of…"

"221 lunch customers!" shouted Nohri with delight. All three of Ruksin's boys had dark brown hair to match their mother, but only the twins had freckles. Veliana was their sixteen year old sister, and by comparison she had a soft, tan complexion with hair that was a mixture of brown with blonde highlights. Her mother loved her daughter's look, having noted on many occasions that it accentuated her naturally pretty features.

"221 customers is correct," noted Data.

He moved past the lengthy table holding the cakes. On an adjoining table to its right sat forty loaves of bread stacked in four columns of ten, each covered with a towel to keep them cool and dry. The Commander selected a sharp bread knife and – flashing a small smile at his admirers – promptly put it to use. He selected and sliced thirty-six loaves of bread, grabbing them one at a time and neatly cutting each loaf precisely nineteen times. The speed at which he worked was remarkable, and the small group that had gathered gasped in awe several times as he easily re-stacked the sliced loaves as he finished with each. Data proceeded with his relentless, rapid fire cutting project until his chosen thirty-six sliced loaves rested in a large pile next to his left arm. "The other six can be served with the evening meal," he decided with satisfaction.

"_Wow!_" said Naomi, her large eyes wide with awe. "I figured you would be good at this, but you're… _amazing!_ _Wonderful_! What a great addition to the _Voyager_ crew!"

Data smiled at her. "Where does that leave us?"

Icheb cleared his throat as he did a quick mental calculation. "You have three dozen loaves of bread, each with twenty slices." Although the older boy did a much better job of disguising his expression, he too was quite obviously impressed. "That gives you 720 slices of bread… so if you use two slices per sandwich that will allow you to make 360 of them."

"That is correct." Data began programming the replicators, his fingers moving almost too quickly to be seen. "Since we are expecting 221 customers for lunch, we will end up with 1.6 sandwiches per person. Given that many of the females will only choose to eat one sandwich, and taking into account the probability that most of the on-duty crew are just as likely to skip the meal we should have plenty for everyone." He paused, his positronic brain humming as he evaluated options. "But to maximize the pleasure of the dining experience, we must make certain that we serve a _variety_ of choices." He tapped a few last commands into the replicator's keypad.

The device activated, and one by one shimmering large portions of roast beef, ham, and finally chicken breast began to appear. As they materialized, the android removed each from the replicator and placed it on a separate table. Again the group of spectators watched in amazement as he went down the line, slicing the meat into thin, even strips so remarkably fast and accurately it would have been difficult for most of them to believe unless they had witnessed it for themselves. As he completed slicing each portion of meat, Data immediately spun back to face the replicator and removed the newest chunk.

Within the space of five minutes there were three large stacks of lunch meat, separated by type. In less than ten minutes, he had completed the entire process of slicing up all of the meat and was ready to begin the final step of actually assembling sandwiches. Setting the knife down with satisfaction, Data turned his attention back to the replicator and used it to create several large stacks of sliced cheese.

Ruksin's three boys roared with laughter as they watched the android accelerate once again to high speed. Data moved even faster this time as he assembled sandwich after sandwich, separating them once again by meat type and stacking them neatly on large platters. Veliana stood next to her brothers and remained considerably quieter, but her attention too was focused on the frenzy of activity from the rapidly moving android. Data's arms actually seemed to blur at times as he worked, and during those times the children laughed even more. Naomi shouted and clapped with them as they all jumped up and down, cheering the android on.

"I think you missed your calling Commander," stated Lt. Vorik flatly. The Vulcan from B'Elanna's engineering staff was standing casually in the background with his arms folded. "Your skills in the kitchen would obviously qualify you as an excellent chef."

"I've never seen anything quite like that," commented another one of the crew members also watching the unique demonstration of the android's skill. "It's utterly remarkable."

With a last flurry of activity Data completed assembling the final sandwich and stacked it atop the third platter. "We will work on a first come, first serve basis," he said with a satisfied nod. "Diners will have their choice of a roast beef, ham, or chicken sandwich. I will replicate several types of pasta and potato salads to serve along with each meal."

"Don't forget the desert!" Kyler shouted gleefully, pointing at the five cooling cakes. "You're also serving _that_!"

Icheb chuckled. "With twenty four slices each and your sixth and final cake in the oven, you only have 144 pieces available," he pointed out. "That's not enough to serve a piece with every lunch meal… _if_ everyone shows up that is."

The android paused and frowned. "Again you are correct," he agreed with a nod. He glanced back toward the two assistant chefs, who had returned from hauling away dirty dishes just in time to watch the end of his sandwich assembly. "I am on duty soon… do you think that you could mix and bake three additional cakes for me?"

Both of the petty officers were chuckling at Data's expression. "I think we can handle things from here," Evans said pleasantly. "We'll even wrap the sandwich platters in plastic wrap and make certain they're refrigerated until lunch time."

Crewman Belfied agreed. "Turn in your apron Commander, and _thanks_ a million for the assist. I hope you don't get too comfortable up on the bridge or working in Astrometrics, because the next time it's our turn to work mess duty, we're requesting _you!_"

The android smiled in response. "Also please be certain to prepare and sprinkle a cinnamon streusel topping on each cake," he continued. "That will maximize the sweetness of the desert and heighten its taste."

Evans snorted with amusement. "I promise… we can handle it sir."

"Yes, I am sure you can." Data headed for the exit, followed very closely by the children.

As they all stepped back out into the corridor, a thought occurred to Naomi. "Do you think you could start dropping by Mom's quarters on Tuesdays and clean my room for me?" she asked curiously. Evans and Belfield couldn't hear Data's response as the door slid shut, but they found themselves bent over with laughter anyway.

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54948.6:

* * *

Icheb gave the children a quick tour of _Voyager_, making certain to obey each section head's instructions to stay away from the ship's most secure areas that were always, off-limits to visitors. Torres made certain that they all got a brief look inside engineering, however, and young littler Kyler soaked it all up. He absolutely loved the size and layout of the massive Federation starship, especially the colorful, throbbing hum of the powerful warp core. 

"I want to live and work here too!" he shouted several times.

Chuckling, Icheb simply herded them on to the next stop along their tour. The holodecks were very popular, and they spent several hours there trying out different types of simulations. Naomi introduced everyone to her favorite friend Flotter, a computer-generated character who had on many occasions shared adventures with her within his wonderful, brightly colored forest home. Icheb was well aware that they could spend all day in the holodeck and never get bored, so gradually he urged everyone to follow him toward the Astrometrics lab… his personal pride and joy. He was eager to show Governor Ruksin's children where he worked, and just how detailed and impressive the long range scans and three dimensional maps of deep space could be.

Seven was on duty when they arrived, and as usual Sam Wildman's eager young offspring was first through the door. Seven glanced over her shoulder and – seeing Naomi – her expression immediately became amused. "Naomi Wildman," she said, just like she always did when she caught the young girl peeking in on her.

Icheb led the rest of the children into the large room and they stood silently for a moment, studying all of the sophisticated equipment, dazzling visual displays, and the impressive looking maps of the Delta Quadrant. He took a few minutes to introduce Governor Ruksin's children to Seven, and they all smiled in response to her own friendly, relaxed attitude. For a few minutes, all of the children looked around in amazement at all of the computers, images, and flashing lights on the various consoles that had been carefully arranged in the small room.

Finally, Veliana pointed toward one of the viewscreens… at a visual of a large, glowing sphere shape that was created by the presence of thousands upon thousands of bright glowing red pinpoints. "That looks like a map of a bunch of old planets and moons," she observed. "But what are all the red dots scattered everywhere?"

"_That_ is my current project," replied Seven. "And you are correct… this _is_ a three dimensional map of the Yukshaan star system, but with significant enhancements. I have a computer record on file of the basic energy signature used by the alien creature we are chasing through your Trade Coalition. I am able to scan for any unusual electromagnetic anomalies within your star system. If any match my computer record, they are logged by _Voyager_'s sensors as part of the entity's growing body. Using those scans, I am plotting the positions of every 'piece' of the alien so that we can continually monitor where its influence is strongest."

Nohri and Dohri studied the diagram intensely. "Is that the same monster that came after us when we left Damoklis city?" asked Nohri. "The one that was after Dad?"

Seven nodded in response. "It is," she said. "But we are now able to scan and detect its electronic signature… thus we have devised ways to hide ourselves from it. You are quite safe during your stay here on _Voyager_."

Veliana stood firmly with her arms folded and a deep frown on her face. "But my friends aren't," she said. "They're still in the city and _not _protected."

Icheb put a hand on her shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "For the moment at least, the creature has _left_ your star system," he pointed out. "It is in the vicinity of Yukshaan now, hiding aboard one of the ships it stole. For the moment, your people are safe."

Ruksin's daughter disagreed with him. "No they're _not _safe," she insisted. "Father told me that this thing has been working with our Prime Magnate, working to stir up anger and terrorism within our city. It won't be long before war breaks out… lots of people are going to get hurt." Her face reddened with anger. "We're supposed to learn how to get along with others at Church, but Derryn Akseth keeps telling everyone the Yukshaan are our enemies. People are so angry these days that Dad won't even allow us to attend services any more."

Seven dropped to one knee and studied the young girl with compassion. "What you are describing are _adult_ problems created by adults, and I suggest you leave them for the adults to worry about," she recommended. "I assure you we are doing everything we can to assist your father in stopping this creature – and your Prime Magnate – from starting a war. The crew of _Voyager_ has dealt with similar creatures before… it will _not_ succeed."

Although Veliana didn't look totally convinced at first, she did calm down a little.

"What _else_ can you do in here?" asked little Kyler. He was trotting about, watching all of the flashing lights and computer displays. It took every ounce of control the young boy had to avoid touching anything, as Icheb had resolutely insisted upon before allowing them to enter. "Show us something even more impressive!" the youngest Ruksin said with his youthful enthusiasm.

Seven shrugged and smiled at the small boy. "From Astrometrics, we can scan the surrounding regions of space even while they are long distances away," she said informatively. "We also have sub-space capabilities much like your people do, allowing us to communicate with people who are very far away." She paused, noting the interested looks on the boys' faces. "This starship comes from an area of the galaxy populated by people who are very different from your own… people who have their own unique culture and a completely different lifestyle."

"_Call_ one of them," requested Nohri unexpectedly. He looked so much like his twin brother that it was virtually impossible for anyone to tell which one was speaking without first knowing them better. Fortunately, their mother had chosen similar outfits that had different colors for them to wear, and that made the process of interacting with the visitors much easier. "Call someone who is really far away!"

Seven smiled despite her usually reserved demeanor. "All right," she said in response. She moved over to the sub-space transmitter control system and activated it. "At present we are unable to communicate with the Alpha Quadrant, but I will determine if a friend of mine is at home." Working quickly she set the parameters to a civilian frequency and began the activation sequence. Seconds later, _Voyager_'s transmitter flared to life and began sending out a sub-space signal that crossed vast regions of space almost instantaneously. Electronic signals had traditionally always been easier to accelerate to faster than light velocity… pushing an actual physical ship always required significantly more effort. That was why sub-space was so valuable, since it was a faster method of communicating than moving ships back and forth could ever be.

One of the viewscreens flickered and then steadied on the image of a short humanoid with dark spots sprinkled across his forehead. There were also dark spots and yellow skin along the sides of his face, running from his odd-shaped ears all the way to the crinkle at the end of his nose. Along the bottom of his chin were light brown whiskers on both the left and the right. A huge crop of light brown hair sprouted from the top of his head and was pulled tightly toward the rear, running down the back of his neck. Although the Rafalians were used to seeing alien races, this man was one of the most unusual looking people they had ever seen. All of them crowded closer so that they could get a better look at him.

"_Neelix!_" Naomi shouted with recognition as she saw him, clapping her hands and shouting with joy. "What a _great_ surprise! How are things going back there on the mining colony?"

"_Why they're going fine!_" he replied with an amused smile. "_It's good to see that_ Voyager _is still running into friendly people and obviously inviting aboard lots of young visitors. How are things with you?_"

"We're fine too… well, sort of." Naomi paused, thinking carefully before she continued. "There's a big electro magneto monster running around the area here, so Captain Janeway and the rest of the crew are trying to track it down before it can hurt anybody. Other than that, well everything is pretty much the same as before you left."

"Who is that?" asked Kyler. "Why does he look so funny?"

On screen, Neelix laughed merrily. "_My name is Neelix_," he replied. "_I used to ride on_ Voyager _right along with the rest of their intrepid crew. But we located a group of my own people and I decided to remain behind with them. Seven of Nine has been keeping in contact with me because she knows I get lonely sometimes… old friends are hard to give up_."

Kyler was persistent, standing with his hands on his hips. "How come you look so funny?" he asked again boldly.

Neelix chuckled again. "_Because_ _I am a Talaxian… this is the way my species appears_." He studied his own monitor a little more carefully. "_And just _who_ might I ask are _you_, young man?_"

The response was immediate. "My name is Kyler Ruksin, and my father is the Governor of Damoklis city on Rafali Prime. We're here to negotiate with Captain Janeway to stop the monster that's trying to take over my planet."

"_Ah yes… the monster_," said Neelix with a chuckle. "_When _hasn't_ there been a monster of some sort chasing _Voyager_… I sincerely hope that Captain Janeway has that part of your situation under control_."

Seven smiled reassuringly. "She does."

"_Well Seven, if you're satisfied that everything is okay then I guess I'm satisfied too_." He glanced at his watch. "_I was just about to take a break… I've been helping repair one of the geothermal energy units and I think I've earned a late lunch. Since you seem to have so many visitors to entertain, why don't Naomi and I show everyone how to play a quick game of kadis-kot?_" Neelix smiled. "_It's been at least a week since I've beaten her_."

Naomi's expression grew defiant. "Hey you forgetful old Talaxian… I _won _the last game, and the time before that!" she insisted. "And I'll beat you _again!_" As she spoke, Seven of Nine was already clearing space on one of the consoles and setting up the game board.

"_Well, we'll just see about that now, won't we?_" Neelix responded enthusiastically, rubbing both of his hands together. "_How are things down in your mess hall… I hope at least someone has noticed I'm missing around meal times_."

Naomi glanced awkwardly at Icheb for a moment as she decided how best to answer his question. "We're doing okay, but it's not the same without you," she said finally. "Tuvok overcooked your leola root hash browns this morning… you should have smelled the mess he made."

His amused expression made her laugh in response. "_I told him many times that my job wasn't as easy as it looked… perhaps now he will believe me. Now then, let's teach these visiting youngsters of yours how to play kadis-kot_."

* * *

Captain Janeway, Chakotay and Joseth Addersbay sat quietly in _Voyager_'s observation lounge, watching the bright shining stars outside drift idly past the windows. Although the starship was still cloaked and hidden within the Yukshaan star system, they could clearly see everything surrounding them. In the bottom portion of the windows, a huge, orange and red gas giant spun slowly beneath them. The planet vaguely reminded Chakotay of Jupiter, and a soft pang of regret drifted across his emotions as he was subtly reminded again of just how far away from his own home he still was. 

"Mr. Addersbay, you've met all of the delegates," said Janeway as she poured coffee for the three of them. "I'd be interested in hearing your feedback on the problem we're currently facing."

The elderly man shrugged slightly. "I'm not totally sure I have much to say," he replied honestly. "From my perspective, I've always been a dirt farmer, so I don't totally understand urban folks… especially the Rafali."

The Captain leaned forward. "Why, particularly, do you single out the Rafali?"

Addersbay considered the question for a moment before responding. "My people are peaceful… pretty much we each have a group of friends to rely on, mind our own business and interact with each other when we need to trade for supplies. If you ever take some time and visit our world you'll discover a bunch of relatively tight-nit cliques of farming people, each linked together by one or two of our more sociable types." He sniffed the aroma in the steam rising from his mug of coffee and then tasted it. "What's this?" he asked, practically cringing at the taste.

"It's heaven in a mug," said Janeway with complete and utter bias.

"It's coffee… and apparently badly in need of cream and sugar," noted Chakotay, spooning some sweetener into Joseth's mug and adding some cream.

"So you don't actually have an official, centralized government?" wondered the Captain.

"Not a real big, centralized one… certainly not in the manner that you're used to," decided Joseth. "However, each district is comprised of bunches of really small groups of neighbors who all meet on a regularly scheduled basis, and as needed during tougher times. Whoever needs help gets it… especially during the dryer seasons. If something is in short supply, the rest of us share so that enough crops are available for the good of the population and for trading with other worlds." He tasted his coffee again and found it much more tolerable this time. "The Rafali, on the other hand, have very deep spiritual beliefs in the Father Creator. Most of them are decent folk, but they have a very nasty minority that tries to push its beliefs on everyone else. Fortunately for the Trade Coalition, they've never gathered enough people together or acquired the military capacity to do more than make a lot of loud noise. But they do have a criminal element amongst them, who from time to time will kidnap visitors. They have also done their best to create plenty of off-world violence during the times when they've sensed weakness within the Yukshaan government. Sometimes they succeed in killing people, but most of the time they're simply arrested and sent to jail."

"Based upon what you've told us, you should already be able to determine one of the reasons we badly need your point of view on this," pointed out Chakotay. "The people we represent have a strong, centralized government capable of defending itself, but they also are a peaceful people. Violence has traditionally been our last resort… used only when we ourselves are threatened by hostile outsiders."

Joseth chuckled. "Well you can continue to hold your meetings with the Yukshaan and Rafalians," he said decidedly, "but I expect that you'll find the Yukshaan both indecisive and hesitant to act. Their politicians will have to hold lots of meetings and discuss what to do, and since their central parliament has as many opinions as members it will take a lot of time for them to accomplish anything."

Janeway frowned at his words. "What about the Rafalians?"

Addersbay shook his head. "I cannot predict what is unpredictable," he decided. "This Governor Ruksin seems like a decent fellow with a sensible head on his shoulders, but he is surrounded by people who will more often than not let dark and angry emotions dominate their decision making process." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "It sounds – from what we've already heard discussed – as if their Prime Magnate is stirring up the pot on Rafali Prime. If that's the case you're going to have a tough time arguing your case with them, even if you use facts and common sense. Once the true believers commit to the decisions made by their spiritual leader, most will follow him to their deaths… even if he aims straight toward the nearest cliff."

Chakotay groaned as he listened to his friend's analysis. "The creature we are chasing has already directly approached the Rafali religious leader and convinced him that it _is_ their Father Creator, come back to lead the Rafali to their promised salvation."

Joseth took another drink of coffee and then set his half-empty mug firmly on the table. He placed both hands around it to absorb the warmth from the cup. "Then I predict that our little corner of the universe – which has traditionally remained unstable even throughout the best of times – is about to get even more violent and unpredictable."

"Perhaps not." Janeway gestured toward the windows with one hand. "If the stability of this entire region is at stake, then we must act in the interests of all three cultures. What do you think would happen if this Rafali Prime Magnate suddenly disappeared… if his ability to make emotional speeches was temporarily quieted? Would Rafali Prime settle down, or go to war?"

"That would be a risky move," decided Chakotay.

"_Very_ risky," agreed Addersbay. "If the Rafali people are as emotionally charged as you say they are, then the sudden disappearance of their spiritual leader would simply inflame them more. Derryn Akseth has a group of senior priests at his disposal, each of which is qualified to replace him at any time. Imagine the politics that ensue each time there is a vacancy, and then imagine the politics and emotional fervor that would occur if he were suddenly to disappear. Do you think his death would save the Trade Coalition?"

"Certainly not," replied the Captain. "But if the Prime Magnate truly _does_ believe that this Vryke entity is his long lost Father Creator, I just find myself wondering what would happen if we were to temporarily abduct him and prove to him that it is not."

Addersbay snorted with dismay. "To most of the general population, proof of this creature's true nature would matter," he predicted. "But _not_ to Derryn Akseth. He – and those like him – are ambitious men and women who seek power over others, pure and simple. It is an old story, as old as the tales recorded in our most ancient texts. Some folks have always fallen victim to greed and corruption. They will do anything to attain both money and prestige, even when they already have considerably more than everybody surrounding them. It is a disease of the heart that prevents them from ever being happy, no matter how much they achieve or how much they gather. If he has convinced himself that this creature is the Father Creator, he will follow it to his doom. For him to believe otherwise… well, let's just say that it would long ago have disqualified him from the position he holds."

"I agree with your assessment," nodded Chakotay, "with one exception. People who are greedy and corrupt are _not_ victims. What we are at our core is more of a _choice_ that each of us continually makes, over and over again throughout our lives. Unfortunately, some individuals repeatedly choose to give in to life's darker temptations, and it becomes easier and easier to do so each time they progress a little more down that path. Before they know it, trampling upon the rights of others becomes redefined as 'looking out for yourself'."

Addersbay waved a hand at the large observation lounge surrounding them. "This starship is proof of just how small a pocket of the universe our group of worlds inhabit," he said with a smile. "And yet many of our people continue to believe that the Father Creator cares only about us. And in the eyes of the Rafali people, many believe God cares only about those who practice a very specific set of beliefs... theirs!" He glanced first at Janeway and then back to Chakotay. "Some of the Rafali have even killed each other over the years, simply because one group practices their faith a little differently than the other."

Chakotay folded the fingers of both hands together, thinking. "There are stories similar to that on many worlds," he replied. "My own included."

"From what I've learned of your Coalition, the Rafali have generally left the Stefe'en alone," pointed out Janeway. "So I find myself curious… why are they so angry with the Yukshaan?"

"Oh, they harbor a deep resentment for us too," countered Joseth with a grim smile. "Fortunately, my people pretty much mind our own business and haven't developed a military capable of wiping out entire planets. The Yukshaan have, and even though they are not a perfect people, they have at least so far been unwilling to make use of such dangerous weapons. I do not believe that their leaders would use them unless they were left with no other choice to preserve their culture… but they have the technology available to them and that is the lure they cannot resist."

"So the Rafalians, by contrast, would love to have a weapon capable of making their 'big bully' of a neighbor blink."

Addersbay nodded. "And now they do." He took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "Not all of the Rafalians are bad people, but unfortunately their religious culture has as much influence in their decision making process as their government… if not more. When the Prime Magnate speaks, they truly _believe_ it is the word of their God, even though the words spoken come from a mere mortal who has absolutely no way to prove that his divine connections are indeed real."

Chakotay bristled noticeably. "The Vryke will change all of that," he predicted. "Once the Yukshaan have been attacked, it will return to the Rafali system and emerge from hiding. It will make Akseth seem to be powerful… give him powers that make him seem invulnerable…"

"And if it succeeds, the Rafali people will do whatever the Prime Magnate tells them to," agreed Addersbay. "Leaders like Governor Ruksin and their voices for diplomacy will be swept away in the tide of anger that will follow. I have seen it happen before several times in my lifetime, even without the outside interference from this creature. If the Rafalians decide to go to war, they will use the weapons of mass destruction that they have captured… make no mistake."

Janeway nodded with understanding. "I believe we have a tentative list of priorities, Commander," she told Chakotay. "Stop whatever the Vryke is planning to do in the Yukshaan system, recover the captured ships from Rafali Prime, and…" she paused, eyes flashing intensely.

"…And?" Chakotay prodded her.

"And…" the Captain continued. "I want to _meet _withthis all powerful Prime Magnate of theirs…"

"That will be risky."

"Yes it will, Commander."

They were still talking matters over thirty minutes later when Seven contacted them from Astrometrics. "_Lt. Tuvok and I have finished mapping the creature's presence in the Yukshaan star system_," she reported with a distinct note of satisfaction. "_We have also located the starship on which the Vryke's consciousness currently hides… it is sitting motionless behind a moon orbiting one of the planets closest to the home world_."

Janeway perked up noticeably. "What about Tom and Harry?" she asked.

"_They are currently on their way back and plan to rendezvous with_ Voyager. _General Skellan is still with them, and Ensign Kim informs me that they have completed replicating parts and have successfully outfitted a dozen Yukshaan warships with electrostatic shielding_."

"Thanks for the report Seven."

"_Acknowledged_."

* * *

Naomi, Icheb, and Governor Ruksin's children filed one by one into the observation lounge as the Captain's small meeting finally came to a close. Both Janeway and Chakotay smiled at the young people as they ran past, enthusiastically jumping up on chairs or running to the windows to stare in awe at the massive gas giant orbiting slowly beneath them. Icheb hovered protectively near Veliana, and he grew noticeably annoyed when Chakotay winked at him. His interest in the young girl was purely professional… generated by genuine concern for both her safety and the protection of her people. 

Then his gaze would wander back to her sparkling brown eyes, or he would spend a moment admiring her long and lustrous hair. During those moments, he discovered that his normally organized, rational thought patterns were beginning to waver. Perhaps his interest wasn't _totally_ professional, he decided. He had to at least consider that possibility.

Naomi had seated herself at the head of the table and was addressing anyone who would listen. "Did you know that the Captain and Tom Paris once flew a shuttle _so_ fast that they ended up _evolving_ into gross, lizard-like creatures?" she asked them. "We found them on a planet after they had mated and created other baby lizards. Fortunately, there was enough of their original DNA left and we rescued them in time for the Doctor to restore them back to human form."

"Really?" asked Nohri with a curious look of astonishment. His twin brother's eyes were wide with disbelief.

"Of course," replied Naomi smoothly. "You don't think I could make up a story like that, do you?"

* * *

**_Author's note:_** You may have discovered at least _SOME_ of the enthusiasm demonstrated by my most loyal fan, **Le'letha**, hidden within Naomi Wildman's personality. If we could but harness that power for the good of mankind, I'm certain it would power at least _ONE _starship... 


	13. Demon Lord

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter XII: Demon Lord**

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Yukshaan Home World, Stardate 54949.1:

* * *

The overhead lights flickered for just an instant, causing Major Cirillo Nexxim to toss aside the paperwork he had been reading with great annoyance. He glared fiercely at the ceiling, but also with internal curiosity since the Saal Pwan military base was supposed to be running on its own private, totally secured and independent power supply. Nevertheless, less than a minute later the lights went out again and this time they did not come back on. For just an instant in time there was silence outside the small wooden building in which he had retreated to handle his office duties. Then brief silence was broken almost immediately by the sounds of booted feet running past the outer door, along with repeated shouts and cursing. 

Nexxim stood up and paused long enough to put on his military jacket, then trotted outside to take a look around. He noticed that some of the older jeeps had begun driving back and forth, hauling alert soldiers to their posts. Surprisingly though, all of the more modern, armored military vehicles were stopped dead in their tracks. Some of the marines were standing in small groups around them, scratching their heads in puzzlement as they tried unsuccessfully to restart the engines. Overhead and to the southwest, the mid-morning sun had vanished behind an ominous dark curtain of cloud cover that ran entirely from east to west as far as the eye could see. The overcast area started from the south and was rolling towards the north, its motion rapid enough to be visible with the naked eye, even as the people standing below watched with disbelief.

_That was when Nexxim realized that they weren't clouds, but merely something that looked like clouds… something entirely different._

"Sergeant Morno, what's going on?" the Major asked curiously, his hand drifting hesitantly toward the sidearm he wore. They had been on alert for weeks, expecting the Rafali to try something, but in his wildest dreams he hadn't expected that they were capable of mounting an all out assault like _this_. As they stood, watching with astonishment, the black, smoke-like cloud cover continued rolling northward. Already at least sixty percent of the visible sky was covered, and daylight was fast fading into an eerie, unprecedented twilight.

One of the passing soldiers paused long enough to salute. "We don't completely know yet sir," he replied curtly as a dark shadow passed across his face. That quickly, the overhanging dark cloud cover had obscured almost all visible daylight. "Everything was fine and then all of our communications started going down, one right after the other. We can't even contact each other here on Saal Pwan, much less communicate with another location. That we have no way to determine what's happening across the rest of the Greater Pontayl." He shook his walkie-talkie back and forth, as though such an action would somehow clear its mysterious malfunction, and then tried once again to activate it.

"Nothing?" Major Nexxim had his own handheld transceiver out and noted that it too had a dead battery.

"Nothing sir. I don't have enough power to send or receive a transmission."

Cirillo Nexxim scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Order the base to priority alert status. If our space shuttles and atmospheric fighter planes are working, dispatch reconnaissance teams in shuttles to see if anything is happening in orbit. Also have the fighter jets conduct flyovers of the nearby cities. I want to know what's going on."

"Right away sir."

The staff sergeant hurried off and moments later the sound of hand cranked alarms could be heard wailing through the chill morning air. The darkness surrounding them made it all the more creepy, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that something sinister was taking place.

Nexxim walked over to his personal automobile and sat down in its driver's seat. He used his keycard to activate the starter system and heard the familiar sound of the engine turning over for a few brief seconds. The headlights flashed on and off briefly, and then the electricity powering the starter died as the engine fell completely silent. "_What the hell?_" growled the major angrily as he popped the hood and walked to the front of the vehicle for a closer inspection. The smell of burnt petrol assailed his nostrils as he made a brief survey of the engine block.

At first nothing out of the ordinary appeared wrong except for the battery, which looked to be almost totally drained of electricity. The major checked the starter system next, noting that the computer chip that controlled the fuel and air mixture appeared to be burned out… it was cracked down the middle and had a charred, blackened look to it. _That would account for the intense smell of petrol_… he thought idly. _The mixture has too much fuel, not enough air, and the on-board computer is not making the necessary adjustments_.

As Major Nexxim closed the hood he heard more shouts from the western edge of the base. These voices no longer sounded angry, but were much more frightened in tone and a few of them even sounded panicked. Growling with growing anger, Cirillo Nexxim drew his sidearm and ran toward the shouts, ready for anything.

_What he saw out there at the outer perimeter of their base camp made the hair on the back of his neck stand suddenly on end_.

Some type of large, unknown creatures had broken through the concrete and chain link fencing that circled the outer base perimeter. The massive, dark shapes were walking slowly but deliberately toward a small team of soldiers. There were dozens of them, standing at least two and a half meters in height with shoulders more than a meter wide. They were giants moving in the darkness, appearing to wear no clothes whatsoever – their faces only vaguely humanoid. Each of the aliens had dark, empty eyes that stared ahead blankly and did not blink. Their faces also had a nose and mouth but no ears. Other than that, the only recognizable humanoid features distinguishable from a quick glance appeared to be hands and feet. Gritting his teeth, the Major pointed his hand weapon at the closest creature and discovered almost immediately that it too held no power. A sharp burst of directed plasma energy should have fired from his weapon, but instead it too failed to operate.

_Both he and his men were virtually defenseless._

Soldiers were backing away from the intruding creatures, all the while doing their best to try and fire their own weapons. Having witnessed the uselessness of his own weapon, Nexxim strongly suspected that the other troops had been disarmed as well… even if they did not yet know it. The strange, invading creatures were obviously hostile… one of them held the broken, crumpled body of a soldier in its arms. Distinct trails of blood, appearing black in the darkness, ran down its arms, falling in large spattering drops onto the ground below.

"_Golem! Golem!_" shouted one of the soldiers, continuing to back away in fright. "_The rumors we have heard are true_… _the Father Creator has returned to Rafali Prime and has launched his army of undead soldiers against us to enslave us for our sins against him!_"

Nexxim gripped the soldier tightly by both shoulders and shook the man violently. The fear in his eyes faded almost immediately as he focused now on the Major. "Get a grip on yourself," Cirillo told him harshly. "You are a trained soldier and you know that there are many strange looking beings out in space. So far we have lost only ships to the Rafalians… until we determine just what we are up against, I will not have you spreading rumors. Rally your team and begin a steady retreat toward the center of the base… we will assemble everyone there and find a way to counterattack." The man nodded and followed orders, his training kicking in at least enough to prevent him from further comment as he ran with the other men back toward the inner protection of the military base. Superstitious fears were the most difficult to control, and that was what they were dealing with here.

The Major backtracked toward his vehicle and used his keycard to open the trunk. He removed an older rifle that relied upon gunpowder and traditional bullets for its firepower. He took a moment to load the weapon quickly and efficiently, then returned close enough to the invading soldiers so that he could fire off a couple of quick shots in their direction. The strange beings were huge, towering high over him and walking slowly but relentlessly. None of them seemed to be in any particular hurry, but he could tell by the blood on so many of them that all of the guards on duty outside the central, primary gate were probably already dead.

He set the sighting mechanism of the rifle squarely on the torso of the lead invader, and the weapon cracked three times in quick succession as he fired a trio of shots. The expression on the face of the shadowy, dark-skinned creature did not change in the least as the bullets opened three huge holes in its chest area. The large, shambling alien simply changed direction toward him and continued walking.

_As it plodded forward the holes made by the bullets immediately began repairing themselves, as though its body was merely clay and an invisible hand was patching them shut_.

Knowing that many of his men would panic, the Major turned and ran, sprinting at full speed as he beat a hasty retreat back toward the central barracks. He stopped one last time at his vehicle and retrieved the remaining rifles, handguns, and a case of ammunition from the trunk. From all four directions now, he could hear the sound of other gunshots as he moved and he shuddered with growing concern at the thought of how powerless they truly were against this sudden, strange new threat.

* * *

One hour later, the entire sky was still overcast with thick, sinister looking clouds that appeared to have nothing to do with evaporated moisture. There were no lights to be seen around the central barracks, since nothing electrical was currently working. The Major had rallied everyone who was still alive back to the center of the compound, and now they all milled about uneasily. Since only a limited number of them were armed with the available conventional rifles, waiting was about all they could do. Mounting a counterattack was completely out of the question. Without the use of their directed energy assault rifles they were virtually defenseless… knives would also be useless against this enemy. Staff Sergeant Morno appeared suddenly from around the corner of one of the buildings, and his eyes were bright with barely contained fear. 

"Report," demanded Nexxim, unable to totally conceal his own anxiety.

They were prisoners, completely surrounded by a gradually closing ring of the huge, oddly-shaped humanoid invaders. There were at least two hundred of them, and only one of the soldiers from the barracks had been foolish enough to try and escape between a pair of them. When the need arose, the alien creatures had proven that they were completely capable of reacting just as quickly as any normal man.

Morno paused long enough to clear his throat. With the sunshine obscured, an already chilly morning had grown even cooler. "Our shuttles and aircraft are still operational, except that none of the computerized electrical systems on board any of them are functioning," the Sergeant told Nexxim. "As with everything else, the electricity appears to have been drained from them."

"That's the same situation as our vehicles… without the use of the on-board computers they're completely useless to us," the Major snarled angrily.

The Sergeant nodded in reply. "Several of our pilots took off using the older, prop-driven aircraft and, without normal compass and HUD displays, basically flew by the ends of their noses. As far as they can see for dozens of kilos in every direction, the townships and districts within the Greater Pontayl are _totally_ without power. People are out walking along the streets, abandoning their homes and vehicles as they try to determine for themselves just what is going on. All planetary communications systems as far as our pilots could see – both civilian and military – appear to be completely inoperable. It's the same thing with the power plants… they're all off-line for reasons yet to be determined."

The Northern hemisphere of the Yukshaan home world held two primary continents, the largest of which was known as the Greater Pontayl. The other was aptly named the Lesser Pontayl, and lay across a vast ocean that separated the coasts of the two major land masses. Saal Pwan was only one military base among dozens of others strategically located on both continents… and based upon the Sergeant's initial report Major Nexxim wasn't exactly optimistic as to the status of the planet's remaining defenses.

"What about these creatures?" he asked, pointing toward the slowly advancing line of enemy beings. Most of them had slowed their advance, content with the realization that their opponents were now fully contained and had no further possibility of escape.

"They have appeared everywhere the people are," Morno reported. "Our pilots spotted them wherever they explored. It doesn't appear as though they are killing anyone _unless_ they encounter resistance. But they _are_ rounding everyone up for purposes unknown, and we have so far been powerless to stop them."

Cirillo Nexxim swore angrily as he watched the line of slowly marching enemy soldiers close to within ten meters of them. "Cease fire," he ordered, and word was quickly passed to the Yukshaan soldiers protecting both sides of the central complex of buildings. Around them, the sound of sporadic gunshots gradually quieted.

"Nothing hurts them anyway," one of the Privates standing nearby growled.

"That will be enough soldier," the Major snapped irritably, studying the odd-looking beings as they came to a complete stop. Standing firm in a tight circle surrounding the occupants of the base, they waited patiently as the minutes slowly continued to tick by. Many of them had been damaged repeatedly by the gunfire, but _all_ of the wounds had mysteriously and almost immediately healed themselves. None of the enemy combatants had a mark on him... there was absolutely no indication that any of them had been wounded in the slightest.

Major Nexxim stepped cautiously forward with his hands tentatively raised in the air. Since the enemy soldiers carried no obvious weapons, he was a bit uncertain as to how threatening he might appear to them. "What do you want?" asked the Major with growing puzzlement. "What is your purpose here?"

He had no idea which of the creatures spoke, since none of their mouths appeared to move in the slightest. All he remembered later was the sudden sound of one strange, emotionless sentence spoken as though it were uttered by a creature newly arisen from a grave. One of the hulking monsters answered him, saying simply…

"_Your world is now mine_."

* * *

For quite some time the creatures held their positions in silence after the voice spoke that single sentence, with only one notable exception. One of the more courageous soldiers had attempted to gradually move toward one of them. Without warning its large head suddenly swerved to look directly at him and the man immediately turned in fear and rejoined the trapped group of soldiers. After waiting patiently for a few minutes longer, Nexxim had returned to the building where his office was located and repeatedly tried to activate all radios and phone systems. His efforts were completely useless and he glared furiously at the darkness surrounding the communications center. All electricity everywhere on the base appeared to have been shut off somehow… 

_All of it_…

The Major was trying to decide what to do next when a sharp cry of warning came from outside, followed almost immediately by a scream. The two soldiers he had posted to stand guard were both fighting with one of the creatures – it had left the outer ring of them and was walking toward the entrance to his specific building. Both of the men fought valiantly using both hands and knives to try and stop it, but the hulking monstrosity backhanded one of them and lifted him completely off of his feet. His body cracked boards on the side of the building as he struck the wall with a grunt, and he tumbled lifelessly to the ground.

"Enough Private… you can't stop it." Nexxim said as he emerged from the outer doorway. He jerked a thumb angrily, signaling the remaining soldier to move away from the oncoming beast. The man nodded in response and promptly back peddled to a safer distance. The Major stared at the blank face of this new enemy with anger burning defiantly in his chest. "What do you want?" he asked again, this time in a harsher, more demanding tone.

Again the voice came from seemingly nowhere, but this time it was more recognizable to him. "_I would speak with you… alone_." It pointed back inside the building and continued to walk toward him while all of its strange colleagues remained motionless in large circles surrounding the other trapped soldiers.

He issued a quick order for everyone else to remain outdoors and stay put. The rest of the Yukshaan soldiers offered no resistance as the alien creatures gradually herded them into smaller, more manageable groups of captured prisoners. Major Nexxim left them as he reentered the building, passed by the useless communications room, and continued down a short hallway to his office. Making virtually no noise, the single creature now focusing its attention on him followed close behind. It was very dark in the office, so Nexxim lit a cigar as he entered and then turned; holding up his lighter to more closely observe the thing that followed him.

The glow from its flickering flame revealed the creature's eyes to be only dark, empty pits. Its skin was mostly light gray in color, although there were darker spots at various points on its torso, arms and legs. The entire creature appeared to have been molded from various types of clay that in turn had been hardened into some sort of stone. The floorboards creaked from its weight, and it paused in the doorway as the major sat down and puffed on his cigar.

"I hadn't realized at first that it was _you_," said Nexxim with a sigh of relief. "What in blazes is going on anyway? This _can't _be part of your plan… you killed my men for God's sake! No Yukshaan were supposed to be killed… _none!_"

There was a long pause and again the Major felt barely contained anxiety building inside of him. He had never completely trusted the Vryke, and now his doubts about its intentions had increased at least fourfold. That was when he heard the voice again, its tone totally devoid of emotion and sounding utterly hollow and haunted.

"_This is MY plan. I am your new God_."

The Major heatedly rose out of his seat, intending to say something as he boiled over with rage. The creature simply leaned forward, reaching out a long arm and grabbing him by the shoulder. Its touch was icy cold and its grip tremendously strong. Nexxim cried out sharply in pain, grabbing the arm and falling back in his seat, temporarily stymied. Although the bullets had struck its torso as if made of clay, the skin of the creature felt like solid stone where he touched it. He yanked his arm back and pointed at the hulking shape in front of him. "These things are new. What are these creatures anyway? Why are they here?"

His questions were, at least for the moment, completely ignored. "_Your world is now mine. I have conquered it, and after I have grown stronger still your forces will follow me back to the Rafalians and the Stefe'en. They too will join my new Empire and take orders from me. If they do not, they too will die._"

"The plan was for you to arrange another attack on one of our ships. After the previous attacks, that would give us all the justification we needed to attack and occupy the Rafali home world."

Hysterical laughter filled the room. "_That was YOUR plan Major. By keeping my true objectives to myself, I simply allowed you to believe that I was going along with it_."

Nexxim was really angry now. "Rafali Prime was to be annexed as part of Yukshaan… you were going to make them work for us… as cheap labor. Slavery, some would call it."

Again the Vryke's laughter provoked him. "_You are ALL going to be MY slaves_."

"I don't believe you," the Major said. "You can't just force us to comply… we won't. There is a planet full of us and we will fight you…" The remainder of his sentence died in his throat as a growing, sick realization suddenly struck him. What if the events that he and his soldiers had witnessed occurring on this base and its surrounding territory were occurring _everywhere_… throughout the _entire_ Yukshaan home world? _Was that possible?_

"_I have forced you to comply_," said the Vryke elatedly. "_Your machines are powerless and completely under my control. If you want your power plants restored and command of your technology returned to you, then your people must first agree to my terms. You will do whatever I say or suffer the consequences_."

"What about me? What is _my_ role in all of this?"

"_I did not tell you everything at first because you wouldn't have followed my instructions otherwise. Now that I am ready and none are left who can resist me, I can at last fully reveal my true intentions. There is a place for you in the Yukshaan government that I will control… a position of great power IF you obey. If you do not, I will discard you as easily as I have killed the others who have offered resisted_."

The Major puffed slowly on his cigar, calming himself down somewhat even though he was still plenty rattled. At least he was back to bargaining again, but more and more it seemed as though he was making a pact with the devil himself. "What about General Skellan and the Prime Minister… or the members of our Parliament for that matter?" He waved the hand holding the cigar for emphasis, and the glow from its burning tip left a half circle of fiery light trailing behind it in the darkness. "I might agree to this arrangement you are forcing upon us, but it is doubtful that _they_ ever will. They _will _fight you."

"_Skellan and your former Prime Minister are both off world at present_," responded the Vryke. "_If they try to return I will kill them. You and the rest of the General's enemies will assist me in setting up a new, military controlled dictatorship. The Prime Minister position is yours for as long as you want it. If you decide not to accept, I will simply find another to take your place_."

A chill ran down Nexxim's spine, and again he gestured toward the creature standing in front of his desk. "What _are_ these monstrosities?" he asked for the second time. "Are they soldiers from your own home… from your world?"

"_I have no home. What you see standing before you is a tool, an extension of my growing body as it continues to regenerate. For such a long and lonely time I was a simple being – one small entity in the vastness of the universe… now I am composed of many diverse parts. The electromagnetic elements that currently comprise all that is me are mostly non-corporeal. But I have discovered, as I continue to gather energy from your planet and the stars in this region, that I have the ability to shape parts of myself into physical matter. As easily as you open a hand and extend your fingers, so too can I materialize an army of soldiers completely under my command. None can stop me now… none can resist me. To do so would risk incurring my wrath, and that is not something that the Yukshaan people would want to do… this I promise you_."

The Major's eyes widened with astonishment. "You personally have control of _all _of these creatures that captured my base? You expect me to believe that you alone are responsible for all of the power outages in the district?"

The Vryke's giggle was shrill and overpowering. "_I am currently controlling more than one BILLION of the creatures you see before you as they hold your entire PLANET hostage_," it replied, its hideously evil laughter continuing to fill the room. "_But I was quite merciful and generous during my attack as well… I killed only those who offered resistance, and allowed the thousands of commercial shuttles and airliners that were airborne time to land before disabling their computer systems. Many resisted me and have died… many more COULD have died._" The strange alien creature paused for a moment while the Major sat frozen in his chair, more frightened at that moment than at any other during his lifetime. "_My continued growth has become kind of an interesting puzzle for me to experiment with, really. Each time the elements comprising my body replicate my body size DOUBLES… so I continue to evolve at an exponential rate. I have no idea if this growth process will stop at some point, or if I will simply continue growing and evolving as long as there is energy for me to absorb. Nor am I entirely certain as to just what all of my additional capabilities will be… after all, I am too old to remember exactly what I once was, so long ago_." It cackled with absolute glee. "_Perhaps there is no limit to what I can become or how much I can control_… _I can't WAIT to find out!_"

The cigar fell from the Major's fingers, trailing glowing embers in the dark office as it struck the desk and rolled to the floor. "How… how… can one mind possibly coordinate all of that?" he asked with true wonder. "What kind of being are you?"

"_Some have called me the Father Creator. I really do not care WHAT you choose to call me, as long as you follow my instructions_."

"As your new Prime Minister?"

"_Consider your promotion to Prime Minister effective immediately. Go to the capital city and address your Parliament… when those assembled raise doubts I shall reveal myself and force them to abdicate._" The Vryke paused for a moment before continuing. "_Use one of the internal combustion powered jeeps outside and depart at once. If, along the way, you require the use of computer systems, your weapon, or any other technology I will activate what is needed for you. Kill all you deem to be an enemy and seize power. Once the transition is completed, I will allow your planetary systems to reactivate and normal life for your people can resume – but only under MY control and so long as your people obey MY directives. I will speak to them through you_."

Nexxim was still trying to process all that he was hearing… his emotions kept ramming up against his intellect and threatened to overwhelm him. "But we have combat vessels in this system that can fight you, satellite systems in orbit, and even a military base on one of our moons. They will oppose you also."

"_I am not a physical target unless I CHOOSE to be_," the Vryke laughed. The huge creature standing across from Nexxim moved unexpectedly, folding its arms across its chest for emphasis. "_Your starships cannot harm me with their directed energy weapons or missile explosions… it would be like trying to shoot rays of light emanating from your sun_." More of its strange, twisted giggling continued for what seemed like an eternity. "_Once I discover which ship your General is hiding on I will kill him, just as I will kill anyone who opposes you. Hand pick only the people you can trust for your new government, and send the current members of your Parliament into exile. Or execute them if you feel they will cause us difficulty… I do not care._"

"And the Rafalians?"

"_They also will be part of my new beginning for your population. If they do not follow the direction of their Prime Magnate and choose instead to resist me, I will give them to your people to play with. If YOU resist me, I will give you to THEM_."

The Major didn't like the situation one bit, but so far he could see no other choice but to comply with the Vryke's demands… even if he considered them unreasonable. He pondered his options for a moment longer, noting that they were dishearteningly few in number. He had been offered power and would lose any chance to control his own destiny if he refused the offer. But if he accepted, he would truly be making a deal with a devil and accepting all of the consequences that came with such an arrangement. If he displeased the Vryke at any step along the way, trying to fight for and regain the freedom of his people, he had little doubt that the alien would do as it threatened and simply discard him for another puppet to play with.

"_Do as I have commanded!_" the Vryke shouted at him, its voice shrill and angered as it realized he was actually _deciding_ for himself whether or not he wanted to obey. "_Depart at once or die_."

Nexxim rose from his chair and nodded. "I will do _exactly_ as you order," he promised, fear gripping every fiber of his mortal being. He gasped in agony as a sparkling blue electrical field appeared suddenly out of nowhere and engulfed him with a sharp electrical jolt. The sensation was extremely painful and lasted for only a few seconds, but every muscle in Nexxim's body immediately went limp. He dropped to his knees and sucked in a huge breath of air, trying to keep himself from passing out.

"_Do not disobey me at any step along your way. If you do so I will know about it, and the consequences you suffer will be severe_."

* * *

Delta Quadrant, On the surface of the Takka Moon, Stardate 54949.7:

* * *

Captain Janeway carefully studied the image of the Yukshaan home world on their forward viewscreen, noting gratefully that the dark smoke-like cloud cover that had temporarily engulfed the entire planet, from North Pole to South, continued to gradually disperse. To her left sat Commander Chakotay, and behind them Lt. Tuvok and Seven of Nine continued their visual survey of the planetary conditions and its helpless population. As usual, Ensign Harry Kim was at the Operations console while Tom Paris manned the helm. Commander Data was busy assisting another crewman at the Science station. 

At the rear of the bridge, General Cabreu Skellan stood firmly next to Idmund Ketterlin – the current Prime Minister of the Yukshaan government. Both of them wore expressions of deep concern as they continued to hear the various incoming reports on the rapid fire chain of events that had so quickly transformed their world's status from peaceful to one of utter chaos. They continually watched Tuvok and Seven, hoping to hear additional news regarding the fate of their people. Having no choice but to stand helplessly by, watching others work while their world faced the most difficult, tumultuous challenge in its history was weighing very heavily on their emotions. The General in particular was forcing himself to exercise massive restraint. It was not part of the training burned into him to merely stand and watch while others sacrificed their lives.

Janeway had ordered _Voyager_ to land on the crater-filled surface of Takka, a strategy designed to further enhance their stealth advantages while the moon orbited the massive curves of the planet in the distance beyond. Since Takka did not rotate, the same hemisphere always faced the home world. The Yukshaan people had taken advantage of that, and over the years they had constructed a very large military base on the moon's dusty surface. The planet's smaller, second moon was also visible far off in the distance, and – unlike Takka – it spun awkwardly in its own attempt at an orbit. The second moon's unstable nature provided plenty of surprises, and over the years the planet's inhabitants never quite knew just what to expect when it came to moonlit nights. The complete unpredictability of their oceans' tides also reflected the constantly changing conditions in the heavens high above them.

"Visibility on the planet's surface continues to increase," said Tuvok as he studied their long range telescopic camera images. While _Voyager _remained cloaked and out of phase with normal space/time they were unable to make use of normal sensor capabilities. To do so would reveal their location to the Vryke, and Captain Janeway was not yet ready to let the impulsive, hostile alien know their location. The Federation starship and its highly trained crew of scientific explorers was the only thing capable of stopping the enemy now; no one on board doubted that for an instant.

Seven was intently studying various enlarged photographic images of the planet's surface, as fed to the tactical console by Commander Data. On the forward viewscreen the image of the planet's surface continued to clear, its feathery white cloud cover now very much visible through the deteriorating, smoke-like barrier that had temporarily shrouded the entire planet in darkness. "It is late evening on the coast of the Greater Pontayl," she declared, continuing to scan the images carefully. "It is still completely dark on the planet's surface… nowhere am I able to detect any evidence that power has been restored. All computer and electrical activity within detectable range of our visual scan has now been inactive for well over twelve hours."

"Is there any indication as to precisely _what_ is keeping everything down there from functioning?" asked the Captain curiously.

"Affirmative." Seven routed the current image she was studying from her monitor to the viewscreen, and everyone glanced curiously at the new scene.

In the background of the video playback sat a typical, metallic construction of steel girders, thick cables, and powerful transformers. What they were looking at was obviously an electrical sub-station that served as a junction linking back to an even larger power plant. In the foreground of the visual image were large wooden poles lined up next to a gravel-covered dirt road, the bottom ends of which were buried deeply underground. Some of these still held functional lines at their peak linking them together, while other cables had broken loose and now hung from the top of several poles. Whatever force had severed the cables was not immediately identifiable, but whereas gravity normally would have pulled the lines vertically toward the ground below, the severed ends of these were stretched tight almost horizontally in mid-air. Each of them curved just slightly in a distinct arc, its severed end pointing directly toward the sub-station.

"Magnetism," observed Ensign Kim with wonder. "That entire electrical sub-station has been subjected to a powerful magnetic charge."

"Correct," Tuvok responded. "Even without standard sensors, the presence of the Vryke is quite obvious wherever we focus our external video pickups. It has completely disrupted the flow of electricity relied upon by billions in all cities and rural areas, and it has done so on a planetary scale. The planet's population is in chaos."

Janeway turned and regarded the two intensely. "Seven, you reported earlier that you had analyzed and mapped the Vryke's growing influence within this planetary star system…"

"Correct," replied the former Borg drone crisply.

"Display it please."

Again the viewscreen switched images, this time to a three dimensional diagram of the Yukshaan solar system. The image she had shown the children during their visit to the Astrometrics Lab appeared for everyone to see. It was the same one that the main computer had enhanced with red dots sprinkled in a spherical pattern spanning most of the solar system – each dot indicating the distinct presence of the Vryke's electromagnetic signature.

"This star system contains fourteen planets," Seven stated informatively. "The home world is planet number two, and the red points on this chart depict significant energy activity, as detected by the sensor scan that Lt. Tuvok and I conducted during those brief few seconds we risked decloaking upon our arrival." She paused, allowing everyone to take a good look at the image. "Since the entity's centralized consciousness can move a few or all parts of its non-corporeal body anywhere it wishes to, this is only a snapshot of a bodiless entity that continually reshapes itself. No doubt it has changed significantly since our initial arrival."

"Then let's risk another scan," decided the Captain. "Decloak the ship for sixty seconds and conduct a detailed sensor sweep of the system. Update your map and show us the results." She swiveled her seat back toward the front of the bridge. "Ensign Kim, shift our phase variance slightly as soon as we recloak. Lt. Paris, once our stealth mode is reactivated use maneuvering thrusters and lift _Voyager_ to a new location on the moon's surface. If this creature does manage to detect us when we appear, I want to be in a different location if it tries to attack."

"Aye, Captain." Kim was already busy executing her first command, while Paris readied the ship for a short range hop several kilometers from their current location.

Janeway waited patiently as her orders were quickly carried out. Several minutes later Seven nodded with approval. "I have updated sensor data Captain," she stated in her usual, precise manner. The map of the Yukshaan solar system remained on the viewscreen, but the pattern of red dots changed considerably. The results were truly astonishing, even to the most experienced space travelers among them.

"Good Lord," Prime Minister Ketterlin said with great dismay as he too took a good solid look at the breathtaking results of _Voyager_'s newest, up-to-date sensor scan.

The pattern of dots had darkened and become much more concentrated throughout the _entire_ star system. The map now clearly showed a bright red _cloud _of trillions of particles that shrouded or encompassed _everything_ all the way past the outermost, fourteenth planet and even farther beyond that. There were now so many of the smaller patterns of energy that the dizzying array of elements comprising the Vryke's presence were technically no longer identifiable as dots at all. They instead appeared as a thickening scarlet fog almost completely filling the empty void of outer space within the Yukshaan solar system. A few empty areas remained, but they were extremely few and far between – most of them in areas without nearby planets, asteroids, or other objects that could hide incoming enemy ships.

"The Vryke doubles in size every time it reproduces," noted Tuvok. "Obviously it continues to grow at an astonishing rate, becoming all the more powerful as it does so."

"I believe you," replied Paris with a look of complete amazement.

Several dozen bright red, concentrated tendrils poked out from behind the moon orbiting the fourth planet. One of the larger finger-like projections reached toward and firmly held planet number two. The entire home world was enveloped in glowing red, and Seven pointed out that the brightness of the color was automatically adjusted by the ship's main computer based upon the density of the particles and their electromagnetic strength. Other brilliantly lit tendrils within the cloud extended outward toward key points in the system, and – like the web of a spider – there were millions of smaller filaments connecting everything together. In between them, a light hazy red mist filled in everything else.

"As you can see, the entity continues to absorb sunlight and use the energy it collects to regenerate its body," pointed out Seven. "Like a fetus growing within a mother's womb, a majority of the new copies of this creature's smallest, most elementary particles are evolving and becoming components with a variety of functions… some of which are totally unknown to us. In the case of a developing human child, some of the cells generated by mitosis become bone, brain, or organ cells… whatever the growing body needs. As far as the Vryke is concerned, we have no way of determining what all of its capabilities are…"

"…until it flexes its muscles and shows us." Chakotay rose from his seat and walked toward the viewscreen, fascinated. "There's no telling what it will eventually become," he said with astonishment. "Since it already knows we're here and lurking in the area, it might even develop a method to probe beyond normal space/time and eventually detect us."

"Agreed," replied Tuvok. "That is a strong possibility. We already know it has the ability to tunnel through sub-space and create wormholes. It is very likely the creature will continue those experiments now that it has escaped from its prison within the gravity well."

Seven wasn't nearly as quick to agree. "As long as the Vryke continues storing its higher brain functions on the captured starship hiding behind the fourth planet's moon, it is limited to a speed of warp four wherever it chooses to travel," she pointed out. "Tunneling through sub-space is a tedious task for anyone, and it consumes a great deal of time and energy. The process must be equally difficult for the Vryke, or the creature would simply have made use of the technique repeatedly to travel anywhere at any time."

She switched the display to a picture they had observed earlier – an overhead shot their telescopic cameras had taken of hundreds of Yukshaan citizens. They were being held in the center of one of the smaller towns, completely encircled by the massive army of huge, stone-like soldiers. "We also now know for certain, even though our evidence at this time is solely visual, that the Vryke has the ability to create solid shapes whenever it wants to. It also has demonstrated a sophisticated intelligence within its higher brain functions that is capable of organizing and single-handedly coordinating an attack on this entire planet. It literally has the power of a sun at its disposal, since that is where it obtains the energy currently comprising its whole."

"What must this thing have been, 300 million years ago?" Chakotay wondered. "Was there more than one of these once roaming our galaxy… perhaps even beyond it?"

"We have no way to tell Commander," noted Tuvok. "To speculate is useless at this point."

The First Officer stood thoughtfully a moment longer before responding. "Does its coordinated effort to paralyze Yukshaan activity extend beyond the planet?"

"Affirmative. It is also disrupting several ships in orbit, as well as the military base on the moon below us," pointed out Tuvok. "Each of them has been deprived of power, but not totally. For the moment, our last sensor sweep indicates that the creature has selectively allowed their life support systems to function."

General Skellan's expression remained firm but resolved. "What can we do to stop this thing?" he asked, glancing toward the Captain. "Is there even a way to stop it?"

"For the moment I suggest we exercise patience and keep our heads," recommended Chakotay.

The Prime Minister had been staring at the screen, and now he looked at _Voyager_'s First Officer with noticeable frustration. "And while we practice our _patience_ Commander, this _thing_ continues to kill my people!" he shouted, his face flushed with rage.

The Captain also rose from her seat at his outburst, and she paused for a minute before turning to look at him. A flash of her own anger briefly lit up her eyes and then vanished. "You've seen how large and how fast this Vryke entity grows, Minister," she told him. "If we act in haste, the people who have died today are going to have a _lot _of company. And, I might point out; those who survive to see tomorrow will have no hope." She glanced at viewscreen and its fearsome display of the Vryke's presence painted in scarlet across the map of the entire solar system. "I can order _Voyager_ to decloak and fire a few shots at anything you point at, but then what?"

The Prime Minister settled himself down noticeably and held up his hands, conceding her point. "I am sorry," he said sincerely. "Watching this entire incident take place has been very emotional for me… I know you will continue to do everything you can to help us through this very dark time in our history."

"How are we supposed to defeat an entity that has no physical body?" asked Paris suddenly. "It's like trying to shoot at 'Q', isn't it? He may choose to appear as a physical humanoid, but I doubt any conventional weapon is going to function against him. The Vryke has become something very similar now, hasn't it?"

"Even energy follows the laws of physics within our known universe," pointed out Kim. "We have to find a way that allows us to turn the creature's advantages against it." His memory flashed to the image he had seen earlier – of the dangling power lines pointing at the sub-station. "For example, if its presence _always_ gives off a magnetic signature, perhaps we can generate something with an opposite charge to attract it towards _Voyager_ as we move away from the star system. We simply tow it out of here."

"Then what?" Paris responded with a stern gaze at his friend. "We have to find some way of damaging or destroying its tactical capabilities… and _that_ will be the tricky part."

While they discussed the options, Tuvok and Seven had continued to monitor the planetary conditions. Several loud warning beeps abruptly sounded from the tactical console. After verifying the information, the Lieutenant invited General Skellan over to join him in reviewing the data. "Our latest visual survey of the planet reveals that power is coming back on at several key points on the planet's surface," reported Tuvok.

The General took a minute to study the close up surveillance images of the Greater Pontayl continent and the pair of brightly lit areas near its western coast. He pointed at the locations where ground based lights were now clearly visible. "It looks to me as though power has been restored to Vereketh, our capital city. There are also lights visible at the Saal Pwan military base, which makes perfect sense to me. That's an area near the capital, and a large number of our marines, air force, and ground based missile defense systems are located there."

Tuvok glanced up in warning. "It could be a prelude to an attack on the planet, ships floating helplessly in orbit, or even a strike against _Voyager_," he said in a cautioning tone. "We did reveal our location, if only momentarily. And since only a dozen of General Skellan's starships have been outfitted with electrostatic shielding, the rest remain vulnerable to attack."

Janeway held up a hand to acknowledge his warning, but hesitated to give a specific order without thoroughly evaluating the situation. Together they all waited patiently to see what would happen next. She could see the look of concern, not only on Idmund Ketterlin's face but on the General's as well. "Patience," she said emphatically. "If this Vryke entity were simply going to kill indiscriminately it would already have done so."

Minister Ketterlin swept his gaze toward Cabreu Skellan. "Who is in charge of Saal Pwan?" he asked. "Why would power come back on first at _that _particular base?"

The General thought carefully for a moment. "Brigadier General Lakkis normally runs it, and Colonel Tabit covers for him during times when the General is traveling," he mused thoughtfully. "There's nothing particularly special about it, other than that it is the facility closest to the capital city."

"Power is now coming back on all over the planet," reported Tuvok, causing virtually everyone on the bridge to breathe a simultaneous sigh of relief. "The stranded ships in orbit and the base on the Takka moon have also been released from the Vryke's dampening field." He watched the cities light up, one after another, studying the images closely. "A few power grids are still down in the larger cities, quite probably as a result of damage caused by the suddenness of the unexpected blackout."

Chakotay glanced at the Captain, determined to provide at least one option. "With an entire functioning planet to monitor, the Vryke's attention will likely not be directed at either of its two moons. Right now it is probably not looking for us."

Janeway nodded in agreement. "Decloak us again," she ordered. "This time leave it off until I specifically order us back to stealth mode. Seven, you get one quick sensor sweep to update your map of the solar system. After that I want you and Tuvok using passive detection systems only…" She held up a hand and pointed at him for emphasis. "Don't send out anything else that will reveal our location."

Even for a Vulcan, Tuvok looked a bit hurt. "Acknowledged," he replied, even though he knew full well that she was just being cautious. Seven worked quickly and only minutes later she displayed an updated map of the solar system. To their relief, the scarlet cloud and more densely concentrated tendrils that highlighted the presence of the Vryke had changed only slightly. For the moment at least, its size was remaining constant.

The Captain touched her Comm-badge. "B'Elanna, what is the status of the additional electrostatic shielding units?" she asked curiously. "How soon can we begin deploying a functional system aboard every starship in the Yukshaan fleet?"

"_Soon Captain_," she replied quickly from her station in Engineering. "_We should be ready within the hour. But Seven's been feeding us copies of the sensor images you've been gathering up there, and I've been listening in on your conversation here and there. If this Vryke entity has the ability to generate physical forms like those rock soldiers, it can probably create solid matter in space too. That doesn't bode well for us… electrostatic shielding won't protect us from a physical attack_."

"Let _us_ worry about that possibility," Janeway decided. "Get those units ready for installation."

"_I will_."

Again Tuvok's console beeped for attention. "A general, emergency news broadcast is being transmitted from Vereketh City to all populated areas of the planet," he observed. "The message is audio only, and is also being sent to the civilian and military ships traveling within the star system. The nearby moon base is also receiving it."

"Let's hear it Lieutenant," said Chakotay, joining Ensign Kim at Ops. They worked quickly to activate the bridge Comm-system and translated the incoming message as Tuvok routed it over to them. Seconds later, their efforts were successful and a rather nervous sounding voice crackled out of the speakers.

"_I am Major Cirillo Nexxim_," said the voice flatly, sounding more than a little tentative at first.

Nexxim paused for a moment, during which time Skellan's face darkened with anger. "Nexxim!" he growled. "The man's a malcontent and a nuisance. He is a suspected member of that illegal, anti-Rafalian underground movement and should have been drummed out of the service years ago!"

Seconds later, Nexxim continued, his voice noticeably growing with confidence as he spoke each new sentence. "_During today's power outage, the existing Yukshaan Parliament has been dissolved. I have also removed Prime Minister Ketterlin from office_…"

Standing beside the General, Idmund Ketterlin's face paled at the announcement.

"_To my great honor, I have been selected to serve as your new Prime Minister and also as head of the Yukshaan military. Over the next few days, I will be working hard to choose representatives who will serve in our new Parliament. Many of you might wish to contest this change of command, but before you do so I suggest you think back to the events spanning the last twelve hours. The occupying Golem soldiers that you see standing before you are real… they have been created and blessed with the spark of life by our long lost Father Creator. He has returned to us to insure that our future is a bright one. Whether you believe this to be true or not, I take orders from him and he is in command of us all. Remember that he has demonstrated the ability to destroy our entire planet should we anger him sufficiently. You have seen just a fraction of his power during today's power outage. Anyone who offers resistance of any kind will be killed without trial, this I promise you. Thus I strongly suggest that you go back to your normal lives and concern yourself with the government only if one of my new appointed officials approaches you. Stay out of our way, follow our orders and you and your families will be left in peace. If instead you attempt to interfere with our plans, then be prepared to die as surely as those who resisted today's overthrow of the government have died. More information will be released to you once the new leadership has assembled and begins to implement changes in policy. Thank you for your time_."

"Truly this has become a dark day," said Skellan with barely contained rage. "He declares himself sole leader of _both_ the government and the military? When I get my hands around that weasel's neck…"

Janeway interrupted him by loudly clearing her throat, and the General paused long enough to glare defiantly at her. "First things first General," the Captain said with a wry, amused smile. "Before you return planet side and begin your weasel hunt, we have to manage our Vryke problem."

"And just how do we do that?" asked Idmund Ketterlin softly.

The Captain's smile remained grim and determined. "We take advantage of the weaknesses it has already shown us," she declared firmly. "I wish I could be more optimistic than that, but after what's happened on your planet today there's no denying it… we've got a fight on our hands. So let's begin by exploiting its greatest vulnerability. Obviously this creature has been secretly planning to conquer all three cultures in the Yukshaan Trade Coalition all along. So I say we give it a choice to make, and then see which option is most important to it."

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, Orbiting Benini Five, Stardate 54949.7:

* * *

_Captain's Log, Stardate 54949.7. The _Enterprise_ and _Saga-3_ continue to orbit Benini Five, flanked now by the additional presence of the starships _Malinche_ and _Thunderchild_. To be perfectly honest, we were not expecting the arrival of several thousand additional Jem'Hadar. Nevertheless, they have agreed to join the captured soldiers already undergoing Dr. Bashir's first large scale de-toxification process in the camps that we have hastily set up on the planet's surface. I must remember to thank Captain Goldwolf and Commander Nog personally upon their return, specifically for their diligence in rounding up volunteers for us._

_The captured Dominion battle cruiser remains in orbit along with us, but all of its surviving soldiers have long since been relocated to Benini Five. Many of them required medical treatment for injuries received during their violation of the cease fire, but all of them have now been sedated as they undergo the first stage of the treatment process. Dr. Crusher has become the Chief Administrator of our base camp on the planet surface, while Dr. Bashir heads the medical team. Both Doctors contacted me earlier to report that, by the time the anesthetized Jem'Hadar awaken, our security forces expect to have in place a fenced in confinement perimeter protected by force field generators. We will thus be able to safely maintain order among their soldiers while keeping our own personnel safe for the duration of their stay._

_We cannot predict how violent the Jem'Hadar will become as they continue through the four month de-addiction process. As with most humanoids in our galaxy, reactions to medical treatment vary significantly with each individual. Given the compassion demonstrated by both Doctors during their distinguished careers with Starfleet, I am fully confident that our former enemy is in good hands_._ I will feel more comfortable once Captain Goldwolf and Commander Nog return, since there are still likely to be rogue Jem'Hadar patrolling the area. We can certainly handle them, but now find ourselves also responsible for the safety of our vulnerable prisoners on Benini Five. The Founders have not yet responded to our invitation to participate in this process, and that saddens me. I had hoped that they would sincerely _want _to participate in assisting us as we attempt to build a future for a people that has, for far too long now, lived and breathed only in the shadow of war._

* * *

Commander Riker sat in the Captain's chair on the _Enterprise_ bridge and tried unsuccessfully to relax. The sight of the huge, battered Dominion battle cruiser floating in front of them on the viewscreen image was more than a little unsettling, to say the least. Rumors were already spreading throughout the ship about the fierce battle that had taken place the previous day, and those same rumors also indicated that Worf was composing a song that would forever be sung in honor of Nog's great victory. Riker had seen the tactical report on the enemy ship's firepower, however, and along with it came the undeniable realization that the Gamma Quadrant was still a very dangerous place to park starships. 

His gaze drifted to the other busily working personnel, noting that Geordi was the only member of the command crew currently present. The rest were either off-duty or working on other duties. Commander Troi had been assigned to work with Dr. Crusher on Benini Five – specifically to establish a long-term rehabilitation program for the Jem'Hadar. That was why Captain Picard was still hoping to hear back from the Founders, so that they could at least answer a few basic questions about the Jem'Hadar.

_What kind of food would they need to maintain good nutrition?_

_How had they lived before they had been conscripted into the Dominion military and cloned into fighting soldiers?_

_Were there planets available in the Gamma Quadrant suitable for them to live on while their culture evolved back into a peaceful one?_

These and other major issues not only needed to be listed as future problems, but answered sooner than later as well. Four months would pass much too quickly, and Riker certainly didn't envy Deanna those most difficult tasks that she and the medical teams from _Enterprise_ and _Saga-3_ were faced with. He was used to handling much of the starship's paperwork, assignments, and personnel issues for nearly a thousand finicky crew members. Those normal duties now seemed truly pale by comparison to the problems that Starfleet had decided to tackle with the Jem'Hadar situation. Addiction was a serious problem for any living being to deal with, but these men were soldiers used to serving at the whim of the Dominion.

"You're awful quiet over there Commander," pointed out Geordi LaForge. He glanced up from an open access panel on the side of the helm console. He continued making routine repairs to the system as he talked. "You're worried, aren't you?"

Riker chuckled darkly. "Aren't you?" he asked in response. "There's still a lot of firepower out here, flying around all of the populated star systems. I can't believe the Founders have chosen to sit back and do absolutely _nothing_ to stop it. A few of them were tried and convicted for war crimes against Federation civilians, but if the others continue on their rigid, inflexible path of isolationism I think that more of them should be pulled into court and held responsible for civilian casualties on _this_ side of the wormhole."

"I hear you sir." Geordi completed his work and snapped the access cover back into place on the side of the helm. "The changelings have never completely thought of 'solids' as normal life forms… in fact, traditionally I'm told they have always thought of _themselves_ as a higher form of life. Do you really expect attitudes like that to change overnight?"

The Commander thought about that for a moment… really took some time and thought about it. "I think that if they expect to hide on their home world and ignore the consequences of all the problems they caused, they're in for a big surprise," he said finally. "They lost the war and they signed the cease fire, and yet here we are cleaning up their messes for them."

Now it was Geordi's turn to laugh. "Hey, it's part of being a member of a _responsible_ civilization," he pointed out. "That's why we're so proud of the uniforms we wear, because we extend the hand of peace and make that extra effort even when we know others would falter in our place. I'm proud of the Federation and of Starfleet, and I sincerely hope we're still around keeping the peace eight centuries from now!"

Riker sighed heavily. "I know what you mean," he declared as an unexpected warning klaxon sounded from the tactical station behind him. He stood up slowly from the Captain's chair and moved to join the Lieutenant currently manning Worf's station. "What have you got?" he asked her curiously.

"Contacts sir!" the woman gasped, her face filled with growing concern. "_Dozens_ of them!"

As she spoke the red alert sounded and their shields automatically powered up. The weapons systems also began coming on-line and Riker tapped his Comm-badge as his own instincts bristled in warning. "Captain Picard and Commander Worf, please report to the bridge immediately," he requested briskly.

"_On my way Number One_."

The short, pretty dark-haired Lieutenant switched the viewscreen angle so that they had a better view of the incoming ships. Riker sucked in his breath as he spotted at least three dozen of the beetle-shaped Jem'Hadar attack cruisers moving rapidly toward them. Holding steady behind the smaller ships were half a dozen of the larger battle cruisers… huge monstrosities virtually identical to the one that Nog and Captain Goldwolf had captured.

"This time sounding a red alert may not be nearly enough," growled Riker irritably.


	14. The Lady Or The Tiger

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter XIII: The Lady Or The Tiger**

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, Location Unknown, Stardate 42724.1:

(Approximately Ten years before discovery of the Bajoran Celestial Temple)

* * *

Nearly five hours after _Columbia_ crashed on the surface of Benini Five, Captain Erika Hernandez stood silently on a low hill watching smoke continue to drift high into the sky from residual fires that were still burning within the starship she had been so proud to command. Surrounding her, the seventy-two additional surviving members of her crew continued to work steadily, stacking supplies and setting up temporary shelters. The residual, late evening heat left over from the long desert day was fast beginning to cool, and before long Erika suspected that the surrounding environment would grow extremely cold as the planet moved even closer toward its night time. Already the dark orange rim of the sun was dipping below the horizon, and an eerie twilight covered the land. 

Commander Andrew Strong, _Columbia_'s Chief Engineer and personal friend, had died shortly after the crash. His last act had been as heroic as so many of his others – he had been one of the few who had chosen not to brace themselves, but instead had chosen to stick by the engineering console. At great risk to himself, he had diverted their remaining impulse power so that he could use it to preserve the starship's inertial damping and structural integrity fields until those precious last few seconds. By doing so, Strong had kept them all alive until injuries received from the violence of the impact had stopped him from continuing with his duties. He had been thrown across engineering into a bulkhead and suffered severe internal injuries… Dr. Petroyko had been left with no option other than to make him comfortable during his last moments.

Five others had died along with him, and the Captain had stood over all of their bodies for quite some time in silent prayer. Eleven of her people had now been added to the Vryke's growing list of victims, and Hernandez's thoughts continued to blaze with anger at the utter malevolence and hostility demonstrated by the strange entity. She was a kind and compassionate woman at heart, and that was why she was so angry… at the creature and at herself. Since assuming command of the NX-02, the Vryke was the only alien she had encountered that had made her _want_ to kill. She hoped the creature was dead and that it would never bother anyone else again, but unfortunately the reality of the situation was that it quite probably had survived. According to their telemetry, it had simply dropped back into the gravity well at Questar to wait, another eternity if need be, until it was discovered again.

She watched Lt. Joshua Andrews, Ensign Henry Maxwell and Lt. Sheila Wakefield emerge from under the NX-02's port nacelle. To her each person's specific rank didn't matter any longer, since the _Columbia_ looked to be a total loss. Without impulse engines the starship would never again attain orbit. Even worse, without the matter/anti-matter engine core they would never be able to travel faster than light and leave the solar system. The entire crew was trapped on a planet with a harsh desert environment and nearly one and a half times normal Earth gravity. Life for their foreseeable future looked to be difficult… many challenges lay ahead.

"We've finished burying them Captain," said Andrews with a great sadness in his eyes. "If you'd like to say a few words…"

"I've already said my good byes to them," replied the Captain, continuing to study the damaged hull of her starship in the fading daylight. "Each of them already knows what is _here_, in my heart." She clutched her hands close to her chest and turned to study his face. "And it's okay to call me Erika now Joshua," she told him. "If we're going to have to live on this damned purgatory that we've been banished to, I don't think we're going to need a 'by the book' approach any longer. What we are going to need is determination, and a lot of it."

Wakefield stood next to Andrews, leaning on a shovel with one arm as she wiped sweat from her forehead with the other. "How are the others?" she asked curiously. "Rivers and Biggs?"

Hernandez nodded and smiled. "They're all doing well," she replied gratefully. "Karyn is confident that we've gotten all of the bumps and bruises patched. Your two friends from engineering are going to be just fine, so why don't you three get something to eat and then help the others start fires. I have a feeling that it's going to get pretty cold out here tonight." She pulled her jacket tighter around her shoulders as the evening chill continued to strengthen noticeably with each passing minute.

They nodded and moved past her to join the others. Erika stood watching the internal fires within her starship continue to slowly burn down. Then she turned finally to join the rest of her crew as they continued their efforts to build temporary shelters using the emergency supplies that they had salvaged from _Columbia_. Together they all worked quickly and efficiently for several more hours, throughout the rest of the late evening and into the early morning of the next day. Once their breath began to mist noticeably, they tossed down their tools and seated themselves in front of their survival tents. Between blankets and campfires, they managed to keep themselves warm and the mood of everyone was surprisingly light. The survivors were quite obviously very grateful to be alive.

"With a little hard work, we'll be able to work with the 'B', 'C', and 'D' decks aboard _Columbia_ and over time restructure them into permanent living quarters," suggested Lt. Andrews. He casually tossed a small piece of debris into the camp fire burning in front of him, listening to the snaps and pops from the burning wood. "I think they'll be too hot to use during the daytime, but they'll give us plenty of shelter during the cold nights ahead." He picked up a leg from the pile of wood they had made from broken furniture and studied it. "Where we're going to get a permanent supply of wood for fire, however… that remains to be seen."

"Long term survival out here is definitely out of the question," Wakefield agreed. "We're too exposed. And where we're going to find food on this rock – much less water – well, I'll believe there actually is some when we find it."

Hernandez smiled, tossing an MRE-pack across the fire. "One step at a time please," she said with a chuckle. "Since we have the time, I think we should consider redecorating the bridge too. Perhaps we can knock out the ceiling and turn it into a greenhouse… we definitely won't have a shortage of sunlight. That small garden in chef's mess hall is going to have to go a lot farther after today."

Andrews smiled at Wakefield. "We've got lots of drilling equipment that survived the crash," he told her. "If there's water anywhere in the vicinity we'll find it, not to mention underground soil for growing Chef's fresh tomatoes."

Henry Maxwell nodded enthusiastically. "I heard a couple of the engineers talking while they were getting their injuries treated," he grinned. "Petroyko was splinting an arm and the two of them were already talking about how they're going to get at least one of the shuttle pods functioning again. So far, at least morale isn't a problem."

"A working shuttle pod would help matters considerably," acknowledged Hernandez. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I didn't exactly have time to sight see on the way down."

Wakefield laughed, and a few minutes later Dr. Karyn Petroyko joined them, bringing along a jug of water and several mugs. She poured everyone a cup and the surviving members of _Columbia_'s command crew toasted their new future while chatting pleasantly for another half hour or so. Then they slowly retreated away from the fires and into the tents that they had set up, bedding down for the night and going to sleep. Since their handheld scanners revealed no life forms at all in the immediate vicinity, no one even considered the option of posting a guard.

* * *

Hernandez woke later in the night, uncertain as to just how much time had passed. At first she thought that someone next to her might have been snoring, but a faint rumbling was now identifiable in the far off distance, continuing to grow louder very quickly. She tossed aside the sleeping bag that she had covered herself with earlier and unzipped the entrance to her tent. Stepping out into the desert's night time, she noticed that the sunrise was still at least a few hours away. Except for the ring of portable emergency lighting they had rigged around the camp perimeter, the area beyond remained totally shrouded in pitch black darkness.

_But there was the definite sound of an engine, up in the sky high above them, roaring very perceptibly as it rapidly closed in on their position from the South._

Erika reached back inside the tent, pausing just long enough to retrieve a phase pistol before walking farther toward the edge of the camp. Whatever was causing the sound passed by overhead very quickly leaving a behind only a dull, distant rumbling. Obviously its pilot was flying at a very high altitude somewhere in the planet's atmosphere. Whoever it was had not exceeded mach one, since the sound barrier had not been broken. Hernandez was still listening, trying to guess more precisely the object's speed and direction when a hand unexpectedly touched her shoulder.

"_Damn!_" she shouted angrily, flinching in startled surprise as Lt. Andrews appeared suddenly next to her. "Don't _do_ that to me Joshua!" She shook her head grimly for a moment, her eyes blazing. Then she calmed herself and noted the expression on his face despite their dimmed, makeshift night lights. "You heard it too?"

"Yes," he replied as several more of the _Columbia_'s crew began to emerge from their tents.

They paused for a few minutes, listening together as the sound of the roar gradually began to build in crescendo. Whatever had passed over them had obviously turned around and was on its way back toward them. The distinct beep of Joshua Andrews adjusting his phaser setting to stun caught Hernandez's attention.

"Friend or foe?" Erika asked with a sharp smile as they waited, their breath causing clouds of mist to appear in the camp lighting each time they exhaled. If the temperature hadn't dropped below zero degrees centigrade, then it was damn close.

"We're in the Gamma Quadrant," her tactical officer responded. "So who the hell knows what to expect while we're here…"

The approaching aircraft had dropped significantly lower, its altitude decreasing rapidly as the thundering sound of its engines continued to rise to the point where they had to shout to hear each other. Above them, a medium-sized shuttle of some sort appeared out of the darkness and floated slowly toward them, its primary engines cutting back suddenly and dropping the noise level back to normal. The strange, alien ship hovered above them, its small maneuvering thrusters hissing as it maintained position halfway between the wreck of _Columbia_ and the tented camp they had built on a large hill beyond. Several of the crew had flashlights with them and pointed the beams upward, hoping to get a better look at the strange intruder that had awakened them during that difficult first night.

The alien shuttle had lights of its own, and several powerful beams focused downward, one of them aimed at the array of tents. The other focused first on the growing crowd of crew members and then moved to center on Captain Hernandez and Lt. Andrews. Both of them were standing farther out from the tents with their weapons held ready. Seconds later, an unexpected emerald glow appeared out of nowhere and surrounded the two command officers. The pair vanished in a blaze of glowing energy that lit up the night for several hundred yards in all directions. Lt. Wakefield was standing several steps behind them and witnessed the entire incident.

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, Orbiting Benini Five, Stardate 54949.7:

(_Enterprise_ salvage mission to recover the _U.S.S. Columbia_)

* * *

Captain Picard, Commander Worf, and several additional experienced officers arrived on the bridge in record time, allowing Riker to breathe a sigh of relief as reinforcements arrived. Colonel Kira also walked out of the turbolift and joined them. There were always junior officers busy training somewhere on a starship the size of _Enterprise_, but with Data, Dr. Crusher, and Counselor Troi all busy handling other assignments, he had been feeling a little old amongst the new 'regulars' manning the night shift. Worf joined the attractive female Lieutenant at tactical and they began an immediate analysis of the formidable Jem'Hadar fleet moving toward them.

"Report," snapped Picard, taking a seat with his usual proper manner.

"Sensors are detecting thirty-eight attack vessels and six war cruisers," Commander Riker replied. "They all have full shields in place, but so far none of them have powered weapons."

As he spoke, Worf's console beeped for attention. "Captain," the Klingon said brusquely as he verified the new information. "_We_ are being hailed."

"On screen, Mr. Worf."

They watched the picture of the incoming fleet vanish, replaced instantaneously by a tall, broad-shouldered Jem'Hadar warrior. His expression was grim and determined, and he stood proudly on the bridge of his ship. Tucked alongside the left side of his collar bone they could see the familiar vial and tube link supplying his body with Ketracel-White. These days, that _was_ unusual, to say the least.

"_My name is Ithlat'icar_," said the Dominion soldier with a deep-toned, imposing voice. "_I am the First of my vessel and leader of this task force_."

"I am Jean-Luc Picard, Captain of the _Enterprise_," responded Picard, calmly rising to his feet. "May I inquire as to your intentions here? We were not expecting your government to provide us with an escort back to the wormhole. Once our business here has concluded…"

"_Your _business _is precisely why we are here_," interrupted Ithlat'icar with a loud chuckle. He gazed intently at both Captain and First Officer, sizing the two of them up.

Riker was still a bit rattled from the sudden, unexpected appearance of the fleet, but he had years of experience in maintaining his composure. Still, the Jem'Hadar's statement intrigued him. "I beg your pardon," he said. "Did you say that our _business_ is why you are here?"

"_It is_," growled Ithlat'icar, flashing them a broad, menacing smile. "_You _did_, after all, dispatch a message to the Founders offering your assistance to our government. We have been informed that you have established a base camp on the surface of this world, and that you are in the process of breaking the addiction of our Jem'Hadar brothers to the White. The Founders have ordered us to join you and also undergo that same procedure. Once we awaken from the initial first stage of the treatment, I have been asked to formally request that your Doctors begin training my people to use the procedures necessary to continue your work. More Jem'Hadar will then arrive and we will continue this project, allowing your people to more quickly return to your own side of the galaxy_."

Picard smiled wryly as Riker breathed a tremendous sigh of relief. The Commander glanced back at Worf and said softly, "Stand down from red alert, Mr. Worf." The Klingon gave him a sharp, mildly distrustful look but complied with the order.

"Forgive me if I seemed a bit uncertain at first as to your intentions," continued Picard. "That is a sizeable fleet you have brought with you, and we have already run into a few of your 'brothers' who were much less… diplomatic than you have been."

"_We are aware of your difficulties and have been ordered to undergo the treatment process as three separate groups. The rest of us will remain as your escort, to offer our assistance if you encounter additional resistance_." Ithlat'icar laughed heartily for a moment as he studied the expression on the Captain's face. "_I hope our sudden arrival and massive war fleet didn't intimidate you too much_."

"Oh not at all," Picard decided, breathing a huge sigh of relief. "Perhaps for a moment or two," he finally admitted, in a rare moment of candor between Captains.

Ithlat'icar nodded. "_Captain Sisko and his crew have been known to joke with my people as well_," he pointed out. "_I have come to learn, over the years, that humans often utilize humor to disguise their great respect for a worthy adversary_." The muscular Jem'Hadar stood proudly, arms folded across his chest, and grinned at them. "_Your reputation precedes you in this quadrant Captain Picard. You and your crew are known to us, and the fact that the Vorta loathe the mere mention of your name has only elevated your status further in our eyes. You may consider my entire armada under your command. Have your team on the surface contact us with beam down coordinates and plans for a treatment schedule. Rest assured, we will _all_ cooperate fully as has been ordered by our government. I have also been ordered to encrypt the weapons systems on all of our ships with a password that only you and I will have access to_."

"That is excellent," replied the Captain with growing enthusiasm. "You will hear from our Commander on the surface promptly."

As the viewscreen switched back to an image of the Jem'Hadar fleet, Picard turned and laughed. "That was quite an out of the ordinary incident, Commander," he pointed out. "I hope they didn't catch you and the night shift by surprise."

Riker chuckled. "We did contact their government and offer our assistance," he decided. "I just didn't expect them to send half of their fleet to wait in line."

Kira watched the two of them with amusement. "If they've been ordered to cooperate, you can bet that they will," she informed them. "I would, however, recommend that you place additional armed security officers on the surface for the duration of their stay. Even when following orders, the Jem'Hadar have always been known to be a bit unpredictable and arrogant." She turned and looked playfully at Worf. "At times, they have even been known to pick fights with some of our own people, particularly the ones who are also… unpredictable and arrogant."

Worf caught her staring at him and growled softly to himself. "I don't know what you are talking about Colonel," he said with a proud gleam in his eyes. He too folded his arms across his chest, while everyone else fought back the urge to laugh.

* * *

On the planet's surface, Dr. Beverly Crusher stood at the gate leading into the fenced off perimeter of their temporary medical treatment facility. She was flanked on both sides by a dozen Starfleet security officers, all armed with both hand phasers and the larger rifles. Crusher steadily counted the newest Jem'Hadar soldiers as they continued to beam down, immediately admitting them into the encampment so that they could be disarmed and sedated by Dr. Bashir.

For the remainder of Starfleet's stay at the Benini star system, Captain Picard had reassigned Commander Data to join the medical team on the planet and take charge of the security detail. The Jem'Hadar were at times reckless and unpredictable, so he wanted one of his strongest combat officers nearby in case any of the Dominion soldiers became violent. Colonel Kira had not been kidding… although they usually obeyed orders given to them even if it meant their death, their loyalty was exceeded only by the ease with which they were provoked.

A specialty team from the _Saga-3_ had completed enlarging the compound, and enough force field generators were now in place to sufficiently enclose an area almost a mile and a half in diameter. Starfleet's flag waved proudly in the breeze from the top of the largest, central tent. Both Crusher and Bashir were waiting to see just how many more 'guests' checked into their makeshift motel. If needed, they already had a preliminary plan in place to close off a second area several kilometers distant. That would be used if needed to open up a second camp.

As each Jem'Hadar approached her, Beverly pointed to the sign that they had placed at the doorway. It contained bold black print in the rough script of the Jem'Hadar's native language, with notes that the Dominion warriors could read through carefully as they waited in line. Translated, the sign read:

* * *

_1. Be prepared to give your name and rank to the camp Administrator._

_2. During your time within the camp, you will be well treated and your needs cared for as we work to break your addiction to Ketracel-White._

_3. Upon awakening from the initial sedation process, expect your blood to be sampled regularly and your medication adjusted based on your body's specific needs._

* * *

Ithlat'icar himself was one of the newest soldiers to admit himself into the facility. As he did so, the tall, muscular warrior studied Dr. Crusher's dark red hair curiously. "You humans have such variation in your appearance…" he commented. "Your species is truly a unique one."

"So is yours," countered Beverly instantly. "I consider it my privilege to be able to assist your culture in this great challenge they face. My people enjoy meeting and interacting with the members of other species." Her curiosity got the better of her. "Shouldn't you be commanding your fleet, for the time being?"

The Jem'Hadar First laughed darkly. "Captain Picard is in command of my fleet until I am ready to resume my duties," he informed her. "I spoke with him again prior to transporting to the surface. We agreed that I should be among the first group to undergo your de-addiction process. That way, once your fleet leaves the area I can personally make certain that the additional soldiers who arrive follow their orders. Some of them are quite nervous around medical personnel, and often prefer death to treatment. It is something we have traditionally avoided unless ordered to undergo a process by a superior."

"Well there won't be any pain involved in this process," promised Crusher. "But there will be several months of extreme discomfort. Ketracel-White is a very potent substance, and it will take time and a lot of patience to adapt your systems back to basic nutrients. I hope you're used to a powerful headache now and then."

"No one knows the power of the White more than I do," Ithlat'icar declared grimly. "Over the past few months, I have personally witnessed the lack of it driving many of my brothers to suicide and wanton murder. Truly dark times have been upon my people, when they are driven by such madness to kill even each other."

"I think you will find that much of that will change quickly now," said Dr. Crusher with a reassuring smile. "When you enter the camp, please introduce yourself to my colleague, Dr. Julian Bashir. He will see to it that you are bumped to the head of the line, so that you are one of the first in our newest group to be sedated."

"Bashir… then _he_ is the one who actually developed this de-addiction process?"

"That's right," replied the Doctor. "He tried to come up with a solution by testing some of your soldiers during the war, but was unsuccessful. Julian is not one to give up easily, and has been studying your biology ever since in hopes of finding a cure. Not long ago he did."

"That is indeed good news for everyone… especially my people."

"You're going to have to get used to eating real food again… we have protocols in place to help you with that too. Enjoy your stay and don't worry, everything will be fine… for all your people."

Crusher smiled as she watched Ithlat'icar nod and then follow several security officers inside the outer fence. The strange turn of events and arrival of so many Jem'Hadar was proving to be a Godsend… even the Dominion soldiers who still had access to residual supplies of Ketracel-White had decided to turn themselves in. That was a very good thing, she decided as she thought the matter over. She couldn't even begin to imagine the potential devastating consequences to the civilians of the Gamma Quadrant if the remaining quantities of the drug were allowed to run out. The fighting wouldn't end until thousands more, at minimum, were dead.

* * *

Worf met Chief O'Brien in the transporter room just in time to shake his hand before he left. "I haven't had the opportunity to speak with you, since you came back aboard the _Enterprise_," the large Klingon told him reluctantly, using his usual gruff tone to emphasize that his presence was a simple courtesy only and nothing overtly emotional. "But I wanted to say hello and wish you well during your stay on Benini Five."

O'Brien smiled in reply, scratching his curly hair for a moment awkwardly and then – unable to resist – he reached over and hugged the startled, larger man standing opposite him. The Ensign behind the main transporter control system smiled in suprise and quickly glanced down at the console, averting her eyes as Worf stiffened in O'Brien's grasp and quickly became extremely uncomfortable.

"Thanks," the Chief said in response, releasing the Klingon and stepping back. "The family and I have missed you as well. Now that we have Jem'Hadar warships to back us up, Captain Picard wants me to help coordinate the improvement and maintenance of all technical systems within our camp on the planet surface." He winked at Worf. "Apparently he feels that the force field perimeter surrounding a bunch of drug-starved soldiers should be elevated to a level one priority."

Worf nodded. "The Captain is not alone in that regard," he declared stolidly.

O'Brien punched the Klingon lightly on the side of his shoulder. "Why don't you come along down and visit for awhile?" he said with a chuckle. "You can start a fight with one of the Jem'Hadar, for old time's sake." He laughed heartily while Worf bristled noticeably at the comment.

"That only happened _one_ time, during a time when the _Defiant_ was crawling with Jem'Hadar," the tactical officer protested. "Why does _everyone_ persist in reminding me of that incident?"

The Chief continued to laugh with amusement. "Perhaps because we've heard the songs sung by Chancelor Martok of your performance in the ring during the time you, he and Garak were prisoners of war on that Dominion penal asteroid," he pointed out. "I believe you fought and defeated more than a few of them, before everything there was settled."

Worf stared straight ahead for a moment, ignoring the Chief's continued teasing and then proceeded to bluntly change the subject. "As to why I cannot come down to the planet…" he continued, "…the Captain has informed me that Commander Riker and I are to take a runabout and pursue the clues left behind regarding the fate of _Columbia_'s crew."

O'Brien nodded with understanding. "Does he really think there may be survivors from that ship still alive here in the Gamma Quadrant?"

"Based on the information we found on the planet's surface, _yes_ he does," Worf stated simply.

"Well good luck with your assignment then," O'Brien told him. "And wish me luck with mine." He stepped up on the transporter platform and nodded to the Ensign on duty.

"Good luck Chief… it is _good_ to see you again," said Worf with sincerity. "Be certain to pass along my best wishes to Keiko and your children. If your wife ever needs me to deliver another baby for her…"

O'Brien's face paled. "We've… uhm… made other arrangements with a Doctor these days," he said, getting a little embarrassed himself this time. "It's been great to see you again too Worf," replied the Chief. "Tell Alexander I said hello!" With that final declaration, O'Brien's body was enveloped in a dazzling shower of brilliant blue sparkle as the female Ensign energized the transporter, and he vanished from the platform in a powerful blaze of energy.

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Yukshaan Star System, Stardate 54950.4:

* * *

Captain Janeway watched the image of the fourth planet grow rapidly larger on the forward viewscreen. It was a gas giant – a really big one – with swirling orange, red, and even a variety of browns mixed within the top-level of cloud cover. As with the planet Jupiter in the Alpha Quadrant Sol system, this one also had faint rings that could not normally be seen from Yukshaan without the aid of a sophisticated telescope. Those rings were becoming more and more prominent as _Voyager_ continued to move in closer, but they were not the reason for the starship's visit to this planet. The Captain's instincts were ready for action, and she relied on discipline to wait patiently as they began to pass by the dozens of small moons orbiting the huge planet. The fifteenth – a small, M-class moon with an atmosphere and habitable environment on its surface – was their target.

Ensign Kim had powered down their cloaking device, and – like the three dozen Yukshaan starships close behind – were counting heavily on the electrostatic improvements to their shielding for protection during their inevitable confrontation with the Vryke. The hidden starship on which its higher brain functions rested had not moved since its arrival and was still concealed near the M-Class moon orbiting behind the planet. As their attack fleet penetrated further inside the vast array of crater-filled moons, _Voyager _slowed to half impulse and allowed the other ships to catch up to them.

_So far so good._

"Janeway to Commander Data."

"_Data here_." The response was immediate, and Janeway still considered her crew fortunate at having successfully activating their Delta Quadrant version of the android. Having him available had allowed her to send him along with General Skellan back to the Yukshaan flagship. She was extremely grateful that she now had the luxury of placing an experienced command level officer on board Skellan's ship without having to sacrifice a member of her own bridge team.

"Please remind our volatile General that our goal this day is to obtain _information_," the Captain pointed out. "If we get lucky and are somehow able to overpower and destroy the Vryke, that's a bonus I'll certainly take. But at the very least I want to come out of this with sensor data that we can compare against _Columbia_'s telemetry… we will likely need to begin a thorough search for additional vulnerabilities."

"_This is Skellan, standing by with Commander Data_ _aboard the flagship_ Rivyat." He laughed darkly. "_Don't worry Captain. We'll help you get close enough for your scans_."

Janeway nodded and closed down the transmission. Chakotay sat at her side, scanning his swivel-screen and studying the tactical telemetry. As Tuvok received it, a copy was auto-routed to his station and the Captain's – allowing everyone instant access to the information. "It's a good plan you came up with," he told her. "It will be interesting to see the Vryke's reaction."

"Really?" Janeway raised an eyebrow at his comment. "Usually your thoughts on these matters are completely opposite of mine… are we actually in total agreement on this particular occasion?" She grinned at Tom Paris' reaction. "We'll have to hold a celebration later on one of the holodecks. Be sure to set that up, Tom."

Chakotay chuckled, nodding his head in agreement. "As long as the Vryke doesn't destroy us before we can force your choice upon it." He continued reading the incoming sensor data, studying the sensor scans of the Vryke's energy network. With their cloak off, Seven's three dimensional map of the solar system was constantly updating now as it continually mapped the back and forth drift of the alien's easily detected particles of energy.

"Have you ever heard the story of 'The Lady or the Tiger'," asked the Captain with a small smile.

Chakotay nodded, but Paris perked up in his chair, obviously interested. "The Lady or the Tiger?" he repeated slowly. "I don't believe I've heard that one."

"It's an old story from long ago in Earth's history," said Janeway. "It chronicles the tale of a slightly eccentric King who had a very strange way of determining an accused criminal's guilt or innocence." Tom Paris continued to work the helm controls as _Voyager_ began a slow arc around the gas giant, but she could tell he was listening to every word. "The King would gather all of the people together to an audience in a great stadium, and place the accused in the central arena. On one end of the arena were two doors, behind one of which was a fierce, angry tiger. Behind the other was a beautiful maiden, the prettiest that the King could find in his entire kingdom."

"_Now_ this story is getting interesting," noted Paris with a grin. "Every good story should have at least one beautiful maiden."

"Seriously… that was how the King supposedly determined guilt or innocence, by relying on the hand of fate as opposed to a normal trial." She chuckled as she remembered the first time she had discussed the story in school as a child. "The accused had no idea which door the tiger was behind and which concealed the maiden. But in the end he had no alternative but to choose… to open one of those two doors. If he opened the door with the tiger behind it, the audience was treated to his grisly demise as the beast immediately pursued and killed him."

"And if he opened the door with the maiden…?" Paris glanced back at her expectantly.

"Then they held a wedding…" continued Janeway, "…since fate had obviously judged the man to be innocent."

"What if the accused was a woman?" asked Ensign Kim, averting his eyes when Janeway swiveled in her seat to study his mischievous expression.

"Women didn't commit crimes in those days… pay attention please Mr. Kim," replied the Captain dryly, flashing him a mildly disapproving look. "Anyway… the entire point of the story was that the accused man had to make a choice, and his entire future depended completely upon which of the two doors he opened and what was behind it. Either a terrible death awaited him, or a lifetime of happiness."

"I hope that's not your plan then," decided Paris. "Please tell me you're not going to give the Vryke a fifty-fifty chance at eternal happiness…"

Janeway laughed, and even though the mood on the bridge was light at the moment, everyone was focused on the incoming sensor telemetry and watching the changing patterns of the Vryke's constantly squirming tendrils of influence within the solar system. "No," she replied firmly after a moment's pause. "We've modified the concept this time around, and done our best to put a proverbial tiger behind each door. The Vryke is going to _have_ to make a choice, and based on the limitations we've seen I am hoping that regardless of which one it chooses – its plans for this sector will be severely disrupted."

* * *

As the upper edge of the planet's fifteenth moon appeared above the gas giant's horizon, Tuvok automatically put _Voyager_ on red alert. None of the denser areas of the Vryke's influence had moved in any threatening way toward them as of yet, but that would change in a hurry as its captured starship's sensors detected nearly forty enemy starships closing fast on its position. Even as the crew waited tensely for the battle to begin, both Tuvok and Seven immediately began recording very detailed, meticulous sensor scans of the enemy ship, the moon and the surrounding territory. Without warning, the ship's hull rumbled slightly and the bridge around them shook as the ship's forward hull struck an unseen force.

"That was an electrified shock wave," pointed out Tuvok. "The Vryke is drawing together dust particles, electrifying them, and using them to generate energy waves. Like ripples in a pond it is directing each of them toward us. There are more of them on the way, and each of them continues to grow stronger as we draw closer to it." As he spoke another rumble vibrated throughout the ships hull. "I am diverting auxiliary power to the forward deflectors."

"Fire phasers too," suggested Janeway. "Use the beams in a wide field setting for maximum dispersal."

Tuvok nodded and seconds later they could see the familiar orange beams of their phasers slicing into the oncoming energy waves. By using the widest field setting, the beams actually more closely resembled orange tractor beams. The Vryke intensified the attack, and they watched additional waves of crackling electrical blue energy moving toward them in an impressive demonstration of its newfound powers. The ship continued to rumble unsteadily, but they sustained no damage and, for the moment, everything remained stabilized and under control.

"It's testing the strength of our shields," guessed Chakotay. Beside him Janeway nodded in agreement. "Switch phasers to medium dispersal, Lieutenant. Create just enough of a hole for our fleet to move through."

Flanking them on both sides and also from above and below, the Yukshaan starships also began firing their own weapons at the energy barriers. Bright blue directed plasma charges joined the phasers from _Voyager_ in attacking each wave front. Several of the starships flown by their allies sustained mild damage and fell back, while Tuvok studied the results of the enemy attack and quickly noted that the shields of their allies did not appear to be nearly as strong as _Voyager_'s. "I strongly suggest that we remain in the lead and take the heaviest pounding," he stated calmly. "Our Yukshaan friends are much more vulnerable to the enemy's attack."

As he spoke the Vryke changed tactics. The rippling waves of energy distortion continued, but large, asteroid-sized solid objects began to appear. Like the golem soldiers, they were light gray in color with dark black patches speckling their surface. But this second style of attack came in the form of impact, as the creature used swirling tendrils of energy to envelop each of its rock-like creations and propel them forcefully at the incoming starships. _Voyager_ shook violently with each hit, and everyone took a collective deep breath as they realized that their enemy was just getting started in its attempts to destroy them.

"The creature's higher consciousness remains located on the starship behind the moon. The highest concentration of its elementary particle field is also located there. The starship has not moved out to intercept us," noted Seven. "We need to get in direct line with that vessel in order to obtain adequate sensor data."

"You heard her, Tom." Janeway pointed toward the viewscreen as Paris nodded in response, adjusting their heading so that they began to circle the fifteenth moon.

Dozens of the strange, solid objects continued to appear, and each immediately began moving, pounding away as they struck _Voyager_'s shields. There was a noticeable weakness in its strategy, however, since it had to materialize the rock-like weapons far enough away from the starship so that it had adequate distance to accelerate them to high speed. Otherwise they were too easily deflected by the starship's powerful defensive systems. The Vryke also didn't have time to make them very dense, so even though they appeared to be large rocks in space they were actually simple hollow shells. Tuvok immediately identified the vulnerabilities in its attack and tightened the ship's phasers, focusing them into thin, hot beams that began to vaporize the enemy asteroids as quickly as they appeared.

All eyes remained focused on the viewscreen and the starship that had suddenly appeared there, no longer concealed behind the moon. Even though _Voyager_ was fast closing in on it, the captured Yukshaan starship remained unmoving… holding position right where it was. The design was much different by modern Starfleet standards, with a rectangular, box-shaped primary hull sitting on top of the nacelles, near their back ends. The Yukshaan model was an older configuration designed to endure a maximum faster than light velocity of warp four. That speed, for many years now, had been sufficient to keep the member planets of the Trade Coalition in contact with one another.

"Why doesn't the enemy ship move away from us?" asked Commander Chakotay curiously. "Are their engines down?"

"Negative," reported Tuvok quickly. "Their engines appear to be functioning properly."

"Most of its attention is still focused on the Yukshaan home world," Ensign Kim pointed out.

"The Vryke has been busy here also, and does not want to allow us access to the sub-space ruptures it is in the process of creating," decided Seven suddenly, carefully analyzing the new incoming sensor telemetry. "The alien is definitely attempting to renew its efforts to tunnel through sub-space… there are preliminary indications that it has begun work on two additional wormholes." As she spoke, several of the asteroids slipped past Tuvok's phaser assault and smashed home against _Voyager_'s shields. These had appeared farther back, near the moon, and had much more time to solidify before they were seized by the alien's tendrils and accelerated toward the attacking starships.

Janeway nodded with sudden understanding, gritting her teeth as the ship's hull surrounding them shook violently. "Of course it has," she agreed suddenly. "Without those tunnels, the creature is totally dependent on warp drive and manned vessels for all of its faster than light travel. If it creates a permanent sub-space tunnel between Yukshaan and Rafali Prime, then it will very quickly be able to move between both star systems using its own limited sub-light velocity." She exhaled with frustration. "That will allow it to terrorize one government and then move along to its next target, showing up on the other world within minutes."

"Actually, I think it's after the entire sector," observed Ensign Kim, also watching the shifting data generated by the creature's efforts. "The other conduit is on a direct line with the Stefe'en home world… Joseth Addersbay's planet. It's also creating a sub-space portal linking this system to that planet."

Half a dozen more of the incoming asteroids smashed into _Voyager_'s shields. As the Vryke continued to practice, it became more and more efficient at managing larger numbers. Like the Golem creatures in service to its whims on the Yukshaan home world, its ability to control multiple targets was steadily improving. There were now too many incoming artificial asteroids for the attacking starships to destroy, and many of them were easily slipping through gaps in the weapons fire.

Additionally, large bolts of golden electrical energy, appearing to everyone watching as a huge space-based form of lightning, suddenly began crackling ferociously between the enemy vessel and theirs. The shields momentarily held, but they were noticeably weakened by the increased power of this newest, _third_ type of attack.

"Shields are holding at eighty-four percent," reported Tuvok. "But we have taken minor structural damage on decks 7 and 8."

"Implement evasive sequence Delta-Six, Mr. Paris." Janeway watched him carefully as their best pilot begin to lift and tilt the starship using a practiced hand that made them a much more difficult target. "Tuvok, are we close enough yet to fire on the enemy starship itself?"

The Captain was staring at the forward viewscreen as she spoke the words, and thus realized immediately that attacking their enemy was no longer an option. In front of them, a massive glowing ball of bright green energy appeared, completely obscuring their view of their intended target. The sphere pulsed ominously, growing bright green and then temporarily faded back to a lighter, duller color for a few seconds. Seconds later it would pulse again, expanding in intensity, as more of the bright gold electrical charges crackled outward from its center and slammed into their shielding.

"It continues to intensify its attack," noted Kim from Ops. "We had better warn the Yukshaan… all of the Vryke's elementary particle signatures for several AU's in all directions are being drawn inward – attracted toward the enemy starship. The creature's attacks will continue to increase in strength as it gathers together more of its resources to use against us."

"Commander Data, have you been listening?"

"_Affirmative_," he replied, his voice as transmitted from the Yukshaan flagship was slightly distorted due to interference from all of the weapons fire in the vicinity. "_I can assure you Captain… thus far, a lot of people on the flagship are afraid, but no one is panicking_." There was a pause as he conferred briefly with General Skellan. "_Half a dozen ships in the Yukshaan fleet have been disabled and will be unable to continue the fight without taking time for repairs_._ We could order them to continue, but if their electrostatic shields go off-line they will be vulnerable to capture by the Vryke._"

"Have them back away then, Mr. Data," ordered Janeway. "They can fall back to the rendezvous coordinates and meet up with us there."

"_Acknowledged_."

Seven's expression was indifferent as she observed the display unfolding on the viewscreen. "The glowing green sphere is a simple force field generated by the Vryke, protecting the starship hiding within. In deploying this tactic against us, I estimate that the alien has increased its deflector capacity by at least four _thousand_ percent."

Janeway held up a hand. "Test that Mr. Tuvok," she ordered, pointing to the angry, pulsating green orb visible on the forward viewscreen. "Use both phasers and photon torpedoes… target that force field and open fire!"

He followed through with her order mere seconds later, but their weapons had no visible effect. Even the more powerful torpedoes failed to cause even a nudge… they simply flashed briefly as each of them exploded against the outer shell of the energy sphere. The thirty remaining Yukshaan starships spread out and surrounded the strange electrically-charged orb holding its position above the moon. Seconds later, they simultaneously opened fire in a neat, precisely coordinated attack. In addition to their pulsing, directed plasma bolts, General Skellan also ordered them to fire dozens of their anti-matter missiles at the enemy. As was the case with the Starfleet torpedoes, all weapons fired impacted against the surface of the new, super-charged deflector shield and appeared to have no visible effect.

"It's not going to let us get near those wormholes," Chakotay guessed. "If it does, it knows we could close them with directed weapons fire using the same technique as _Columbia_'s Captain."

Sitting in her command seat, Captain Janeway seethed with sudden, growing anger. "Hail them."

Tuvok complied with her command as the Yukshaan starships around them maintained their ongoing, concentrated assault. He also continued firing _Voyager_'s weapons for as long as he was able, adding them to the focused attack on the spot leading directly to the center of the energy sphere and the starship hiding there.

Additional bolts of the charged, electrical space lightning fired back and rocked them in response. Tuvok also continued to reroute a large percentage of the phaser fire to shoot down incoming asteroids, which unfortunately were still flying toward them in ever increasing numbers. With practiced concentration, the Vryke was getting extremely efficient at creating even denser versions of them much faster than the originals that it had first hurled at them.

The Vulcan was still focusing the bulk of his attention on the continued assault when the Comm-system unexpectedly chimed electronically, demanding attention. "We are receiving a response to our hail, Captain," he reported, surprised that they were getting a response. This time it was his turn to raise an eyebrow, and his tone of voice was as surprised as a Vulcan's would ever get.

Janeway tapped the all-call button on her tactical console. "General Skellan, Commander Data… order all of your ships to hold their fire," she ordered. "Retreat to rendezvous position 'A' and prepare to leave the system as soon as we join you." She nodded to Tuvok. "Put the enemy transmission on screen."

On their forward viewscreen, the image of a Yukshaan bridge appeared. A disheveled looking gray-haired man stood there, his face haggard and appearing weakened to the point of collapse. Behind him were other members of the vessel's crew, all of them wearing expressions remarkably similar to their Captain. The commanding officer held up a tired hand and both his expression and demeanor appeared to be that of a man suffering from both fatigue as well as extreme anxiety.

"_Captain Janeway, I strongly advise you to leave this area immediately while you still can_," he said politely. "_Our unwanted passenger does not intend to let you interfere with its plans… and as you have already seen demonstrated, there is no longer anything capable of stopping it. Not even your advanced starship has any chance of damaging this creature or its plans for our worlds_."

The Captain listened to his speech and studied his mood carefully before responding. "Are you its spokesman?" she asked curiously. "Do _you_ speak for this Vryke?"

The elderly officer wearing a Rafali military uniform laughed darkly at her comments. "_No, I do not speak for the Vryke_," he responded. "_I am simply a naïve Rafalian who was lured into its plot to capture a Yukshaan starship. At the time I thought that I was helping my people, but now I realize that my colleagues and I are simply more of its victims_."

She studied him curiously, convinced that he was sincere in his words and that there was no deception taking place. "What is your name?" she asked, curious as to his identity. A loud burst of static from the transmission caused several people on the bridge to flinch from a sudden high-pitched, unexpected electronic hiss of disapproval.

"_That is irrelevant_," crackled a new voice, its tone unmistakably hostile. "_No one speaks for me… I require no spokesman to represent my interests_."

Janeway rose from her seat and watched the viewscreen intently. "Very well," she acknowledged, speaking the two words very slowly, almost reluctantly. "Do you have any idea what you are doing… what you have done in this region of space? Your actions have had a significantly negative impact on the life forms that have come into contact with you, particularly in this sector. Why would you seek to hurt people in this manner?"

"_If you study their history, you will note that violence between the three cultures – indeed, even between factions within the three cultures – has historically run rampant. Their feuds stretch back over centuries, and wars waged as a result of their disagreements have cost many lives over those years. My abilities are great and God-like… and as a result I have made the decision to impose order among the three population groups. The killing will stop because I will stop it_."

The Captain turned toward Chakotay and he shrugged. She took a deep breath and then tried again. "Yesterday you killed hundreds of Yukshaan imposing your version of order upon its citizens. By _forcing_ them to comply, you have instead become _part_ of their violent history."

The Vryke continued with its arrogant tone, deciding to press her. "_During your time in this sector you have chosen to hide from me, and while you concealed yourself from me I have acted… choosing instead to move toward a positive outcome for all of these people_."

"You don't _help_ people who are weaker than you by simply smashing them around with your superior abilities," snapped Janeway angrily in response. "I understand what you want to accomplish here, but the manner in which you are going about it is atrocious." She put her hands on her hips, and the expression on her face was scathing. "There are millions of civilian_ families_ caught in the middle of all of this, and you make no attempts to protect any of them from the consequences of your actions. Your utter lack of compassion and disregard for our type of humanoid life is contemptible, and your bold words – though they may sound impressive – are in actuality used by you simply to conceal your murderous agenda."

"_Starfleet has always resisted me… you have never obeyed_."

"We will continue to resist you," the Captain promised.

"_Then you too will die_."

Tuvok continued to shoot down the incoming asteroids, but the electrical lightning intensified as the Vryke grew angry and launched a more aggressive attack against _Voyager_'s shields. The starship swung unexpectedly to port and then back to starboard as additional bolts of energy collided with its deflectors. Paris did the best he could to compensate, but as the Yukshaan fleet continued to move away from the moon toward a pre-established rendezvous point, more of the lightning appeared seemingly from out of nowhere, this time _behind _the Starfleet vessel. Without the other ships to distract it, the Vryke was now focusing its attack solely on _Voyager_.

Janeway stumbled and fell to one knee as the starship tipped forward and then returned toward its level angle facing the moon. "Tom, get us out of here!" she snapped with frustration as the Vryke's lightning attack continued to pound away at their deflectors. The creature was taking advantage of her willingness to talk by steadily increasing the intensity of its attacks.

"Shields are down to fifty-six percent and falling," reported Tuvok.

Seven's console exploded and its screens went dark. She instinctively pulled her hands away from the fire and smoke, taking a step back in frustration as her ability to direct the ship's Astrometric sensor array vanished in an instant. Without the slightest hesitation, she moved away from the secondary tactical station behind the Captain's chair and trotted briskly down the stairs toward the engineering station. She joined the on-duty ensign there, re-routing the ship's sensor command functions to that console so that she could resume her detailed scans of the Vryke.

"Killing us won't solve anything," Janeway shouted, rising back to her feet. Her long red hair tumbled free around her neck and shoulders, and she brushed it back from her eyes. "If you've studied the Starfleet database you've captured, then you are familiar with the principles that we abide by. Compassion and tolerance for all life forms…"

"_Those are your rules. As you are beginning to discover, mine are much different and more effective in achieving results_."

More of the alien energy slammed into _Voyager_ and additional systems threatened to overload. Ensign Kim shook his head angrily as he diverted his Ops systems to more closely monitor the ship's interior. "Minor hull breaches have also appeared on Decks 12 and 13," he pointed out. "Damage control teams are already on it."

"If you do not cease fire and stand down, we will destroy you," promised the Captain. "It may not be today, but we will _not_ give up until we have stopped you from persecuting these people."

"_You will fail_."

"Captain." Even though Tuvok's limited arsenal of emotional expressions varied only slightly, she could tell now from years of interacting with him that he was growing extremely concerned. "Our weapons have now become ineffective against the Vryke. While we have been exchanging words, the alien has been busy creating several large spherical force fields around us… they continue to grow stronger as it routes more and more of its energy particles toward our location." His eyes met hers. "If we do not leave now, we will _not_ escape."

Janeway leaped up the small set of stairs in front of her and joined the Vulcan at the primary tactical station. Studying the ship's primary sensor scan, she could plainly see two bubble-like spheres forming around the starship's outer hull. The outer one was much brighter, growing stronger more quickly than the inner force shield. "It's definitely trying to trap us," she decided. "The interior shield is meant to keep us confined long enough for it to sufficiently strengthen the outer one." Her head whipped back toward the command seats. "Chakotay," she said briskly, "we're going to give you phaser control. Use them to begin cutting an exit through each of those spheres. Tuvok will follow up with torpedoes as needed to assist. Tom, set a course for the rendezvous coordinates and engage at full impulse."

Paris glanced down at the helm controls with frustration. "I can give you half impulse," he replied. "That's all B'Elanna has available." His thoughts drifted to her, and he sincerely hoped that his pregnant wife was okay. As usual, she had put herself at the very heart of a dangerous situation. Down in engineering she was busy manning her post during the all-out conflict, having stubbornly insisted that she could still do her job better than anyone else.

Chakotay busied himself quickly, his fingers dancing across his tactical console. Tuvok continued to scan the spheres for their weakest points around the probing phaser beams. Outside of the sphere, the entire Yukshaan fleet waited almost helplessly, watching the Vryke now focusing its entire attack totally on _Voyager_. Fortunately, both General Skellan and Commander Data were capable of taking independent action, as well as calculated risks when the situation called for it.

"Ten of the Yukshaan starships are coming back!" shouted Ensign Kim with enthusiasm. His mood became concerned again as additional electrical energy bolts crackled across open space and smashed into _Voyager_. Temporary holes in the Vryke's defensive spheres surrounding the starship opened long enough for the space lightning to crackle through and then closed once the attack was completed.

Dark smoke poured out of the secondary tactical console, and one of the security guards standing on the bridge grabbed a fire extinguisher and quickly sprayed it onto the damaged electrical systems. As he did so one of the Golem creatures appeared – seemingly out of nowhere – and slugged him on the back of the head. He fell limply to the metallic floor. Kim already had his phaser out and he used it to instantly vaporize the strange entity. "Shields are failing Captain," pointed out Tuvok. "The Vryke will now focus its attention on further disrupting our electrostatic shielding. If it succeeds, it will gain control over all of our critical systems."

The Vryke would have had them then if not for Cabreu Skellan, Data, and the Yukshaan fleet. The outer force field had grown so solid in so quickly a manner that only the combined assault from ten of General Skellan's starships affected it. Simultaneously, they fired a combined, all-out assault that weakened one side of it just long enough for a trio of _Voyager_'s photon torpedoes to breach its perimeter. Chased by additional crackling bolts of the bright gold energy lightning, the starship roared out of the trap that had been set for it and joined the Yukshaan fleet. Behind them, the huge glowing green orb continued to hover above the fifteenth moon, pulsing in eerie triumph. It was a simple but effective display of the creature's awesome power, and of abilities that were now being deployed solely at the unpredictable whims of a very dangerous enemy.

"_Leave this star system immediately Captain_," snarled the Vryke angrily, its voice erupting out of the Comm-system with undisguised anger. "_If you come back, I will seize your ship again and this time squeeze it until its hull crumbles into dust_."

"I don't think you completely understand the situation," Janeway snapped back at the creature.

"_Enlighten me then_."

The Vryke's tone was gleeful as it watched _Voyager_ limp away at half impulse with the Yukshaan fleet flanking it on both sides. The creature routed more of the accelerated asteroids and lightning toward the retreating fleet, damaging the ships as much as it could while they remained within range of the dense particle field it had gathered around it. Seven's three dimensional map now showed a highly concentrated bright red haze of tendrils reaching out from the center of the orb. Other areas of the solar system were clearing noticeably as the creature focused more and more of its attention on protecting itself and attacking the enemy fleet.

The Captain gazed at the viewscreen and its aft view of the moon with a dark smile. "Perhaps you've noticed… we have definitely established today that your influence cannot penetrate a fully functional electrostatic shield without an all out weapons attack. So our next stop will be the Rafali home world, where we will assist Governor Ruksin in warning his people about you. With his help, we are going to equip _all_ of Rafali Prime with this type of shielding… the _entire_ planet. So you stay here and dig your sub-space tunnel to their planet, but I assure you that by the time you arrive at Rafali Prime it will have a working defense in place against your influence."

"_Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_" screamed the Vryke angrily as it began to realize what she was planning. Additional lightning bolts slammed into _Voyager_'s aft shielding, but Janeway was ready this time. She nodded at both Chakotay and Paris, and mere seconds later the Federation starship, with all of the Yukshaan vessels flanking it, leaped into warp speed and rapidly rocketed away from the star system. The Vryke's sphere of influence faded quickly in the growing distance behind them.

The bridge was way too hot from the fires still burning from their combat damage. Sweating briskly, Janeway brushed hair out of her eyes as she took a moment to calm herself down from the adrenalin rush of battle. "Keep us at warp four for the moment," she ordered. "Stay with the Yukshaan." Paris nodded as the Captain tapped her Comm-badge. "Janeway to Commander Data…"

"_Are you all right Captain?_" The android's voice was noticeably concerned. "_Unfortunately, we did not expect that level of resistance_."

"We're fine Commander." Janeway studied the star shine on the viewscreen for a moment. "But I'd like to drop out of warp long enough to beam you back aboard. We're on our way to Rafali Prime at maximum warp… either the Vryke will follow us at warp four in its captured starship and try to stop us, or it will stay in the Yukshaan system. Either way, I need your services here to help us analyze our sensor telemetry and search for additional weaknesses."

"_Captain, this is General Skellan. We'll beam Commander Data back to you, but I'd like to remain behind with my fleet if that's okay. That _thing _may actually decide to remain in this system and maintain its hold on my people. If it does so, then I need to be here_." He paused for a second, evaluation options. "_We can't keep up with you once you exceed warp four anyway_."

"That's fine General, and good luck to you," replied Janeway. "My sincere thanks to you and your people for your assistance in saving _Voyager_ from those force shields. I'd love to stay and help you continue the fight, but it's time for the Vryke to make its choice. It can follow us and try to stop us from creating a sanctuary on Rafali Prime or it can stay here. If it does choose to remind behind, my officers will have that much more time to study our sensor scans and identify better ways to combat it." The Captain smiled grimly as she gazed around at her battle damaged, smoke-filled bridge. "Regardless of which choice it does finally make, we're going to get to Rafali Prime first… that's a _promise_."

Delta Quadrant, Yukshaan Home World, Stardate 54950.5:

Sitting in one of the spacious VIP suites located within the Vereketh City government headquarters, Major Cirillo Nexxim leaned back in his easy chair and placed his feet on top of the desk. As a member of the Yukshaan military he had never before enjoyed such utter luxury… becoming commander in chief of an entire planet did indeed have its perks. He laughed both heartily and loudly for a moment, filling the room with his good cheer despite the fact that he was alone. With the Vryke assisting him every step of the way, everyone else was truly frightened of him now… all who had opposed his entry into the capital city had died horribly. Some of them had been burned to death by an intense electrical charge right where they stood.

Nexxim opened the top desk drawer and his eyes flashed. He removed and lit one of the most expensive cigars he had ever seen and began smoking it, dropping his feet to the floor and moving over to the room's wet bar. He poured himself a very expensive glass of brandy and studied the amber fluid through the glass with delight. Next he surveyed all of the room's ornate furniture, a bit disappointed that he had not yet been able to bring all of his belongings to the city from his small, ramshackle home. He hated that place, and also its isolated location on the edge of one of the city's smaller suburbs.

Standing firmly in full command of the entire planet, the Major silently reviewed the schedule he had planned for tomorrow, trying to decide when would be the best time to stop by that wreck of a home and retrieve his personal belongings. _Hell_, he thought, as a thought suddenly occurred to him. _You're now the duly appointed Executive In Charge Of Everything You See… just_ ORDER _people to do it for you!_

"Ah yes, rank does have its privileges," he said with a wide grin. "Tomorrow's schedule… hmmmmm…." He thought for a moment, arranging the priorities of his personal agenda. "Do I appoint a new Parliament _first_ and then begin choosing women to satisfy my appetites, or do I pick out a new Queen for my bed yet tonight?" He rubbed his bearded chin thoughtfully, and then glanced out through the room's large bay windows at the bright sunlit day. "It's still early evening!" he proclaimed loudly, a fresh spurt of laughter filling the room. "I think I'm going to walk amongst my new subjects for awhile and see if I can determine which female is truly worthy of my attention."

The Major confidently walked back into the main living area of the room and headed toward the exit. In one hand was the cigar, while the other held the glass of stiff brandy that he was sipping from. He temporarily used his left hand to hold both the cigar and glass of brandy as his right opened the door. Taking a minute to straighten his military jacket, he put on his best smile in the hopes of presenting the proper image to his new subjects. "Worship me and _only_ me and all will go well with you…" he said softly as he stepped out into the corridor.

_He stopped in complete shock, noticing that the two Golem that the Vryke had created specifically to guard his doorway were no longer present._

"What's the big idea?" he asked angrily, staring at the empty corridor in front of him as he spoke the words. "Are you trying to frighten me? I was only kidding, you know. We all realize, after all, that _you_ are the _true_ Father Creator of the Yukshaan and that I am merely your humble servant."

_For the first time in almost a day and a half, there was absolutely no response._

"Hey!" growled Nexxim, his mood growing darker by the moment. "You _promised_ me full time protection in exchange for my acceptance in running the entire damned government. So _where_ are my personal guards?" Concern began to grow within him as the strange alien voice that had always answered him during the previous day's coup now remained utterly silent.

He could hear faint shouts and excited chattering from the people on the street below. Since his suite was on the third floor of the main legislative assembly building and located near the center of the government complex, Nexxim wandered casually to the end of the corridor and stood next to the window there. Glancing out and down toward the street running past below, he dropped the glass he had been holding and stared in complete astonishment.

_All of the Golem had disappeared. ALL of them._

"Oh oh," he said with dismay as he noticed armed soldiers beginning to line up on the opposite side of the street. Several of them tested their weapons, and the dark blue pulses of plasma energy tore into an old dumpster, blowing holes in its side and spraying burning boxes and plastic bags of garbage in all directions. Several of the soldiers had turned now toward _his_ building and were pointing toward it. He watched them march briskly but angrily across the street and toward the entrance below.

Caught in the corridor with only socks on his feet, Major Nexxim beat a hasty retreat back to his room and quickly locked the door, throwing the deadbolt tight for good measure. _It's a good thing I packed light after all_, he thought to himself as he picked up his duffel bag and headed for the bathroom. His toiletries were already there, and he quickly grabbed a nose hair scissors and began cutting off the excess hair from both beard and mustache.

Desperately he spread shaving cream over the remnants of his former well-kept face and began using a razor to scrape away the rest of the whiskers. Without the Vryke to protect him, he had no alternative but to change his appearance very quickly… and change it _drastically_. Unfortunately, the beard and mustache were all that he had time for – his mind was racing with possibilities but he found himself growing more and more tempted to panic with each passing minute.

_If he were recognized without the Vryke to back him up, he had no doubt that the Yukshaan soldiers he had antagonized for the past thirty-six hours would shoot him on sight._

He removed his civilian clothing from the duffel bag and promptly changed out of his uniform, trying to keep bits of toilet paper sticking to the numerous cuts he had made on his face during his hasty attempt at shaving. Several of them were bleeding badly and would not stop no matter how much pressure he applied. "It would really _help_ matters considerably if you would tell me you're still here!" he shouted at the wall. As was growing customary since he had first left the room, the response he received was again silence.

The cigar was still burning in the ash tray where he had left it when he returned to the central living room. Stumbling over a small chair, Nexxim cursed as he picked it up and tossed it out of his way. He picked up the pants to his military uniform and put them on, then returned to the desk momentarily and retrieved his sidearm. He stuck the weapon in his pants and turned for the door, _only to discover that someone standing out in the corridor was already turning the knob and had quickly discovered that it was locked_.

"I need _another_ way out!" he gasped with frustration as angry shouts could be heard from the other side of the door. Someone knocked sharply on its solid, wooden frame. Upon getting no answer, the sound of the knocks quickly changed to fierce pounding and additional loud shouts.

Nexxim beat a hasty retreat into the rear bedroom, and he quickly opened its window and stepped out onto the fire escape outside. As he did so, the bulky energy weapon in his pants slipped free and dropped toward the street below with a terribly loud clatter. Now he did panic, and – taking a very deep breath – he hung from the second story of the fire escape as he heard the sound of weapons fire coming from inside the room above. Immediately after that, the distinct sound of the door being kicked open reached his ears. The Major closed his eyes and let go of the metal fire escape railing, plunging immediately to the deserted street below.

All of the soldiers had entered the building – their over enthusiasm in raiding the building and failure to post a guard at the entrance was the only thing that saved the Major's life. Nexxim knew he had only seconds to act before someone poked a head out of a door or window to have a look around, so he limped awkwardly across the very same street he had previously watched from the third floor and over to its opposite curb. His left knee hurt terribly from an injury he had sustained in the fall from the fire escape, so he quickly approached the damaged dumpster with its still-smoking, charred holes and leaped into the air – throwing himself instantly inside.

The stink and feel of the trash he was lying on made him all the more angrier, and he wondered idly just what in the world could have distracted the Vryke so completely from its control of the planet and protection of him. The creature had shown that it could control activity on a planet-wide scale, so what had happened to it? He continued to wonder about the possibilities as he hurriedly pulled several of the plastic trash bags, with their rotting contents, down on top of him. His fear continued to grow as he waited in terror, and he found himself instinctively trying to burrow deeper into the garbage beneath him.

_The voices of the armed soldiers emerging back onto the street snapped him immediately back to reality._


	15. Moral Compass

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter XIV: Moral Compass**

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Rafali Prime, Stardate 54951.5:

* * *

Derryn Akseth stood next to a large window in his private living quarters within the Temple Of The People. His hands were clasped firmly behind his back as he surveyed the beautiful, well-tended grounds that circled the massive Church building. Long ago, rows and rows of thriving green trees had been planted alongside walkways throughout the grounds. Normally there would be citizens out for a walk this late in the afternoon, trailing after their running children or pets. But that was no longer possible now that the Rafali military was present. The soldiers had cordoned off the entire perimeter surrounding the Temple, and guards were now posted in plain view everywhere to prevent unexpected visits between scheduled services. 

The Prime Magnate was growing more and more agitated with each passing day. It had been almost a week since he had last heard from the Father Creator, and – frustrated beyond words – he left his chambers in frustration, his white robes trailing behind him. Moving through the dimly lit corridors he nodded curtly to the two soldiers standing in front of the locked door leading to the ancient chambers below them. Akseth walked quickly, emerging from a rear doorway into the main amphitheatre used by the priests during services. He crossed the large platform, and the sound of his footsteps on its elegant wooden flooring loudly pierced the surrounding silence.

The main podium normally used to deliver his sermons was in the center of the stage area, and the Prime Magnate paused behind it briefly as he studied the soft, glittering facets of the crystalline Enumalis setting on the altar in front of him. The sparkling symbol of their religion remained primarily dormant, as it had for so many days now, reflecting only the small bits of light generated by the lit candles in the memorial sections and the dim glow from the night lamps at the rear of the Church.

"_Where did you go?_" Akseth shouted angrily, his voice echoing throughout the huge, empty chamber. "Why won't you answer me?"

He was becoming used to hearing only the faint echoes of his own voice in response to those questions. No one else was permitted in the Temple these days until just prior to services. With a military presence firmly entrenched on the Church grounds, there was too much chance that stray wanderers might venture where they shouldn't. The People's Most Revered Prime Magnate could not permit that – not now. Anyone who saw something that they shouldn't would need to be disposed of and that would draw too much attention to him and to the Temple. Akseth didn't want anyone suspecting anything until it was too late to stop him. Armed soldiers and weapons located on the Temple grounds had generated enough controversy already in the news net.

_But Akseth was getting lost in the complexity of his plotting and scheming… he was making plans and decisions completely on his own now. For the first time in many months he was acting without additional guidance from the Father Creator._

_What had happened to him? _

He wouldn't know for certain until his powerful ally returned and chose to reveal to him the reasons behind its actions and its plans for their future. Akseth strongly suspected that the sudden departure of his unseen friend had everything to do with the alien starship that had recently entered their space. He was all too aware that it had strange, unknown stealth technology that allowed the vessel to hide in plain sight. Also, Governor Ruksin had somehow managed to find both sanctuary and new allies among these unknown people. This new enemy was definitely lurking about in the vicinity, but none of the Rafali ships – indeed, not even the Father Creator himself – had been able to pinpoint its location.

_How could mere mortals like these Starfleet people hide themselves from the all-seeing eyes of God?_

Akseth pushed the thought aside as irrelevant while he continued to stare helplessly at the empty pews filling the main chamber at the center of the Temple. He had entertained doubts as to the truth of the entity's claim to be a deity for many months now, but he had been smart enough to keep those concerns to himself. He and the Vryke had similar goals, after all, and that was enough for him. As long as he could rely on its powers to keep him safe and help him achieve his objectives, well… he really no longer cared just what it truly was.

The large, spherical Enumalis continued to reflect the dim lighting throughout the Temple, seemingly taunting him as he stood before it once again hoping for guidance. The tingling, almost electrical burst of anticipation he normally felt when the Father Creator was present had vanished, so he knew upon entering each day that it had not yet returned. The words from its last conversation with him before leaving on its quest continued to echo back and forth across his innermost thoughts as he stood there, waiting.

"_The Starfleet vessel is within our star system… they have taken Governor Ruksin and his refugees from me. I must pursue them…"_

Those words had truly startled him six days ago, particularly because he had not seen anything up to that point that was capable of interfering with the Father Creator doing whatever it wanted to whenever it wanted to. Thus he had waited patiently throughout Ruksin's escape as the Enumalis had continued to glow softly with green energy, hoping that whatever outside interference the aliens were causing would be minimal. It bothered him that they were meddling at all – _after all, just who did these people think they were?_

The presence of the Federation was just one more link in the chain of evidence that the Prime Magnate had been using as proof of his claims during his recent sermons. He simply added their presence and tampering in the affairs of the Rafali people to each lecture, using them as additional examples to support his claims that corruption from outside cultures could indeed have devastating consequences for all of their people. But he hadn't escalated those sermons too far just yet, for until he received additional guidance he himself was not sure as to what the next move should be. Just prior to its departure, the Vryke has spoken to him one final time, leaving him completely baffled as to how best to proceed…

"_Our plans are temporarily on hold… I must pursue the Starfleet vessel and deal with both them and Governor Ruksin before they can recruit others to join their cause. Remain here and wait for me… when the Yukshaan have been weakened sufficiently and our other enemies destroyed I will return for you."_

Those were the final words that Akseth had heard the Father Creator speak. It had obviously been in a terrible hurry, and he frowned doubtfully at the memory of its unexpected, hasty exit. The glow from the Enumalis had abruptly ceased its powerful pulsing and faded completely. Minutes later he had been informed that one of their captured starships had received 'orders' to leave orbit and pursue _Voyager_. No one was very specific when reporting this news to him, but that hardly mattered. Derryn knew precisely what had taken place… the entity that he had so completely, up until that moment, believed to be the Father Creator had moved itself aboard the Yukshaan starship and ordered the Rafali crew on board to pursue its enemies.

_Why would it _need_ the starship?_

That question was much more difficult to push aside within his thoughts, and – more than any other – this was an issue that raised the most doubts in his mind. But Akseth had already evaluated the possibilities and decided that he didn't really care what the Vryke truly was. What mattered most was that the creature, whatever else it might be, had the powers of a deity and behaved in a manner that was favorable to his cause. That alone made it worth his time, because a powerful ally like the Vryke could propel him into the position that he had always craved. With its ability to do seemingly magical things he could claim to be a conduit to God, and no one would be able to prove otherwise.

_But these Starfleet people were threatening to destroy the entire plan!_

For years, he had longed to merge the religious half of their culture with its legislative counterpart so that Rafali Prime could present a unified front against outside interference from other races. In his eyes, the Vryke's appearance was the single most important step that would be needed to unite all of their people as one body and one mind. Its power gave him options he would otherwise not have, and he had repeatedly envisioned himself rallying the people to finally press back against the steadily growing influence of the Yukshaan corruption surrounding them. Akseth was much less concerned about the Stefe'en – they did not bother building starships and could easily be annexed once the Yukshaan had been dealt with.

Dropping into a kneeling position in front of the altar, the Prime Magnate lowered his head with respect and humbly began a silent prayer for guidance. His people had come too far to turn back now, and anxiety was slowly building within his breast, particularly from the realization that his supporters in the military would not back him without continued demonstrations of the Vryke's power. If he could not assist them in procuring additional ships, weapons, and Yukshaan technology, there was no way that they would dare to risk their careers by continuing to back the Prime Magnate's admittedly risky political agenda.

_He had to find some way to lure the Vryke back and convince it to continue helping him_.

Derryn Akseth had no idea as to just how long he knelt in prayer with his eyes closed in private meditation. Suddenly a strange tingling sensation caused him to glance upward, and to his profound relief he could see the large crystal Enumalis once again glowing… this time its light flared brightly throughout the entire auditorium, pulsing powerfully with golden radiance. The dazzling light blazing from the large crystal orb throbbed more powerfully than he had ever seen it, and as he rose to his feet he took a step backward in shock at the profound change in its aura. Whatever had happened during its long absence had enhanced it – the creature was now so powerful that its presence actually frightened him. Never before had its light appeared so brilliantly… it was truly fearsome and breathtaking to behold.

"_I have returned_," the bodiless voice announced boldly.

"I am extremely grateful that you have come back to us," Akseth acknowledged gratefully. "Were you able to destroy Ruksin and the infidels who helped him escape?"

"_No_," growled the Vryke with obvious displeasure. "_They have temporarily eluded me… their stealth technology is quite advanced and their crew highly trained in tactical strategy. They also had General Skellan's fleet to support them._"

The Prime Magnate hesitated for just a moment as the hair on the back of his neck bristled… his sixth sense warning him to tread carefully. But he was a determined man and knew that he would never obtain the information that he needed without taking a few chances. "How could they escape you?" he asked. "If you truly are the Father Creator and shaper of worlds, _how_ could mere mortals such as they defeat your plans?" He held his hands out in front of him as he asked his questions, sincere in his desire to learn more about the strange entity and its obvious limitations.

The radiant glow from the Enumalis blazed so brightly that he stepped back even farther. "_Do _not_ commit blasphemy in my presence!_" shouted the Vryke angrily. Sharp electrical blue arcs of energy leaped between the Enumalis and Akseth, the mild pain from its shocking, electrical attack causing him to cry out in pain. "_Were I to have limitations, I assure you they are but temporary ones… those who have opposed me will suffer and die painfully. Do not think to question me about such matters unless you wish to place yourself in grave danger. I do not tolerate those who question my authority, not even you_."

Akseth dropped again to his knees. "I offer my most humble apology," he said sincerely, the bottom folds of his white robes spreading out around him on the surface of the cold wooden floor beneath. "I seek only to understand more of what you are, and what you might someday become for us."

Abruptly the light from the Enumalis faded completely until only the glittering candlelight reflecting off of its meticulously cut facets remained. For several long moments the bodiless voice of the Vryke remained silent, and Derryn Akseth's private fears intensified as he once again embraced the possibility of having to try and complete his plans without the creature's assistance. "_Where have you gone?_" he asked. "Please do not take offense from my actions… you and I can yet accomplish a great deal together! We can build an alliance of worlds to be _proud_ of!"

The sound of footsteps at the rear of the chapel caused him to whirl in anger, since all soldiers assigned to protect the grounds had received specific orders _not_ to admit anyone. He and he alone should have access to the main worship area during this part of the evening, and the sudden realization that someone might actually have overheard even part of his conversation with the Vryke filled him with an intense rage. Seething with anger, Derryn Akseth advanced on the newcomers intending to have them arrested. Instead he stopped in shock and stared.

"It looks real, doesn't it?" said a strange-looking man with an unusual tattoo painted across his left eye. The newcomer was tall and well built, with dark, jet black hair. He wore a black military uniform with blazing red surrounding the shoulder area. It was a design that Akseth had never seen before, and upon his left breast was a golden badge of some sort… shaped in a symbol that he did not recognize. The soldier was accompanied by a thin, elderly civilian, but it was the taller man who caught the Prime Magnate's attention.

Akseth retreated back toward the altar of the Enumalis as his emotional turmoil continued to escalate. "_Guards!_" he shouted loudly. "Guards, we have intruders in the main Temple assembly hall! Come quickly!" His eyes drifted immediately to the sidearm hanging on the soldier's belt, and he realized to his dismay that he was caught in his own Church… alone and unarmed. With the careful precautions that he had taken in assigning soldiers at every entrance to the grounds, this entire confrontation was supposed to have been an impossibility that could never happen.

"My name is Chakotay," said the soldier. "I am the First Officer from a Federation starship called _Voyager_. My intent is to help both you and your people." He gestured to the man standing next to him. "This man is Joseth Addersbay. He is a Stefe'en farmer who has volunteered to act as an ambassador of his people. Despite the mild shock we gave you during our simulation of the Vryke's power, I assure you that we have no desire to injure you."

"_Guards!_" Akseth shouted again, backing away from the two men. If help did not arrive soon, he was prepared to flee back into the depths of the corridors behind the main hall. There he would find soldiers, one way or the other.

But the man named Chakotay did something next that completely astonished him. With a wry smirk on his face, he glanced toward the Enumalis.

"Computer… end program," Chakotay stated simply.

As he did so, the image of the Temple surrounding them faded away completely, and the People's Most Revered Prime Magnate unexpectedly found both himself and the two others suddenly standing in the center of a large, cube-like black room with a network of crisscrossing gridlines etched in bright gold on its walls, floor, and ceiling.

"What has happened here?" demanded Akseth with astonishment.

"You see, you're not actually in your own Temple on Rafali Prime any longer," stated Chakotay, watching the Prime Magnate's obvious anxiety continued to deepen. "We scanned your Temple and created an exact duplicate of it using our ship's holographic projectors. Then we waited for you to enter the assembly area and transported you aboard our ship." He smiled at Akseth's obvious dismay. "Since you were in the middle of meditating, you weren't even aware that you had changed locations…"

"It is most impressive is it not?" asked Addersbay with a sharp grin of his own. "These people have enough technology to fool you into thinking that you're in your own Temple, speaking with the Father Creator you claim to worship. So what makes you think that the creature you've actually been talking to is behaving any differently?" He waved a hand at the surrounding holodeck chamber. "Whether the deceit comes from the creative use of technology, or simply some unknown ability yet to be discovered in the vastness of our universe, is it not still deceit?"

Akseth stared at the two of them for a moment in absolute shock. "_What have you done?_" he demanded angrily. "Where is my Temple… my home… _my Father Creator?_"

Chakotay's expression remained calm. "Your Temple and your home are fine… floating beneath our starship this very minute," he replied. "Right now my vessel is orbiting your planet and you are standing on Holodeck 1 aboard _Voyager_. I assure you that you're _not_ on Rafali Prime any longer… while your eyes were closed we used our transporter system to beam you here, aboard our starship."

Akseth held up his hands and looked at them with fright, as though expecting them to suddenly disappear. "You transported… me?"

"Some people use the term 'teleported'," Chakotay nodded in response. "I can take you to a window if you want to verify where you are for yourself. But essentially what we did involved converting the physical matter of your body to energy and beaming it to this location. After that we used a recording of the original pattern of your body to restore your humanoid form."

Instead of amazement the Prime Magnate's face reddened with sudden rage. "Return me to my Temple _immediately!_" he said in his most commanding tone. "If you do not I will order the Father Creator to burn you where you stand!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that," replied Voyager's First Officer. "You've become far too dangerous and disruptive to your people… we've had no choice but to isolate you for their own good. There have been many deaths recently on the Yukshaan home world, all as a result of your alliance with the bodiless alien that has invaded this sector."

Derryn smiled at hearing the news. "If Yukshaan citizens are dead, then _that_ is a good thing. If this is why the Father Creator has not kept in contact with me, then I truly welcome his prolonged absence! I hope he destroys every last living Yukshaan."

For the first time, a flash of anger disturbed Chakotay's normally calm demeanor. "You almost got your wish," he stated heatedly. "The Vryke tried to conquer the _entire_ Yukshaan home world. If we hadn't stopped it the deaths there would have continued to escalate. Whether or not you've realized it yet, that creature is planning the same fate for your world!"

Derryn's anger continued to grow. "The Father Creator will help _us_ conquer _them!_" he insisted.

Joseth Addersbay shook his head in disagreement. "That may be what the creature has promised you," he pointed out. "But so far its actions speak much more honestly about its true intentions than anything it has said. It is evil… can't you see that?"

Chakotay studied the Prime Magnate curiously. "Just what kind of grievances do you have against the Yukshaan anyway?" he asked curiously. "From what I've observed during our diplomatic talks with them, they are a peaceful, benevolent culture. They are responsible for forming the Trade Coalition with your government and – from what I've heard – the demand for their goods is quite high amongst your people."

"That is exactly the problem!" countered Akseth furiously. "Theirs is a society based much more on physical pleasure and the accumulation of wealth and physical _things_. Most of the Yukshaan are greedy and wicked, and they have used the wealth from their huge economy to build a massive military capable of destroying entire worlds."

Chakotay stepped in front of the taller man and Akseth tried not to flinch. But the First Officer's presence was physically imposing and he found himself taking a step backward. "If the Yukshaan have a large military, then it's a good thing that they are _peaceful_," he said sharply. "You wouldn't want to do something nasty to provoke them, such as unleash the Vryke on their world. That might anger them and prompt them to retaliate against the Rafalians, since you speak for many of your people and have declared yourself an ally to its cause!"

"If the Rafali do not wish to accumulate wealth and prosperity for themselves, they do not have to," added Joseth, lending his voice of experience to the argument. "The Trade Coalition is _voluntary_, and your people have never been required to participate." His voice was calm and reserved, and the tone he chose to use noticeably agitated Akseth. "My people have limited dealings with them because we too like to live a simpler life… we trade only for what we need and otherwise leave the Yukshaan alone. But my people certainly do not resent them for choosing to work harder and expand their lifestyles in a manner that we would not. You should follow our example, rather than teaching your followers to be angry simply because the Yukshaan have better cities and have accumulated more wealth than you. In the eyes of many of my people, _you_ are the true villain despite our attempts to remain neutral. Your repeated attempts to disrupt an otherwise peaceful Trade Coalition leave us incapable of reaching any other reasonable conclusion."

The Prime Magnate crossed his arms and stood firmly, refusing to budge another inch. "You are _all_ a threat to our way of life, and the Father Creator will protect us from harm… _from the poisonous corruption that all of you would spread to my world!_"

"Whether you realize it or not, your so called Father Creator is setting you up for a terrible fall," Chakotay snapped in response. "And so far the only unprovoked attacks that have occurred have been initiated by your people. If I'm not mistaken, you've been emphasizing to your followers that the Yukshaan are the true threat. If that is truly the case, then why do you need to send suicide bombers amongst their civilians, capture their ships, and torture their soldiers? Thus far the Rafali military has not acted in defense of its people, but has instead chosen to commit atrocities in their name."

"We have taken action against the evil influence that they are spreading amongst our people in the only manner available to us," snarled Derryn Akseth bitterly. "In order to stop them from corrupting our innocents, it is necessary to force them to pull back… to isolate themselves from us…"

"Or what?" Chakotay stared darkly at the Rafali religious leader. "Or they're going to _trade_ you to death with their superior business skills? What specific _crime_ have they committed against the Rafalian people, other than seeking to extend to you the hand of friendship and do business with you? Historically, your people have been the most unstable in this sector… I know, because I've been studying that history between meetings with representatives from all three cultures."

"The Yukshaan are of a _different_ religion, and a great number of them have _no_ religion at all!" Akseth's face was contorted in fury, and he angrily spat out each word. "They are blasphemers… evil and corrupt and a danger to my people. We would keep to ourselves, pray to our God in the manner that he has taught us. But they would try to change that… their mere presence in the past _has_ changed it."

Joseth Addersbay had been watching the heated exchange between the two, and he stepped forward curiously. He put a hand on Chakotay's shoulder and eased the man back a few paces before returning his attention to the Prime Magnate. "As my friend here has pointed out, the Yukshaan have committed no actual crimes against your people and yet you have decided that they should be punished anyway," he said. "I have listened to your position on this matter, and I too am gravely concerned for the stability of this entire region. My home world resides here as well, and it seems to me that you are looking for _any_ reason to wage war against people who are not of your planet and faith. You _want_ to kill Yukshaan… even if they are only civilians."

"The Yukshaan civilians have willingly supported their corrupt and wicked economy and the government that runs it… they have supported the construction of all those starships and missiles that threaten us on a daily basis as we try to live normal, peaceful lives."

Addersbay chuckled at the Prime Magnate's comments. "Our culture has watched as the Yukshaan have evolved over the years in their political dealings with you," he pointed out. "They used to give you lots of money to help your poor and helpless, but powerful religious leaders like you used political pressure against your own government. By pressuring them to purchase additional weapons instead of food, you have allowed thousands of Rafalians to starve and die. To counter this, the Trade Coalition modified their policy to give you food and medical supplies instead of money, supplies your government has repeatedly refused to accept. Truly your pride is as much a part of the problems faced by your people as anything caused by the Yukshaan."

"The point of view you present makes it sound as though being wicked or greedy or evil is something that is unique to a particular ethnic background or group of people," Chakotay pointed out softly. He sighed heavily with frustration as the continued conversation caused Derryn Akseth to grow even angrier. "I have monitored your newscasts and studied some of the history of your people during _Voyager_'s stay in this region. The negative traits that you would attach solely to outsiders are present in each and every one of us – every humanoid in any culture, regardless of a specific home world. _Each_ of us chooses to be good or evil, and those qualities are most certainly _not_ determined by a person's race, religion, or lack thereof." He pointed an accusing finger at the Prime Magnate. "Those qualities you claim to hate so much – greed, ambition, wickedness – they are present in your people too, and also in _you!_"

"That is a pretty speech," Akseth snarled back at him. "But I do not agree with your assessment of the situation. I have been appointed in my lifetime position of leadership because it is easier for someone with my skills to identify outsiders and the corruption that they would spread among my people."

"Really?" Chakotay fixed a dark glare at the Rafali religious leader. "Then it's a good thing we're not _on_ your world. You're in my territory now Akseth, and whether you accept it or not things _are_ going to change on your planet. Not only are you the demon that you repeatedly claim others to be, but I personally believe you to be power hungry and easily manipulated."

"Insults only hinder your argument." The Prime Magnate smiled at the other's emotional statement, sensing vulnerability. "They are the last resort of someone who is losing an argument. Just how am I so easily manipulated in your eyes? You should know that I happen to be one of the most respected, powerful men on my planet!"

"Let's start with _dumb_ tactical decisions… how weak do _those_ make you look?" responded Chakotay. "Was it the Vryke who suggested that you station soldiers on your sacred Temple grounds and that you also place missiles there?" His demeanor was calm but firm. "Surely you aren't foolish enough to believe that six anti-matter warheads will protect you from the _entire_ Yukshaan military. I also considered that you might have wanted the weapons to use against your own people in case they chose to unite against your policy of hatred. But you're a religious leader, and would never resort to that… _right?_" He watched Akseth's growing uneasiness carefully. "You're _not_ a military leader, whatever else you might claim to be. The Vryke _tricked _you into putting bombs right on your doorstep so that it can dispose of your _entire_ capital city with one blast when the time comes to capture your planet. Didn't you even _suspect_ that it plans to kill you and thereby elevate you to martyr status among your people? Imagine how many of your followers that creature will enrage after it causes your death and blames it on the Yukshaan! Just imagine the hatred and killing that will take place even before the ashes of your once great Temple have settled."

For the first time, growing doubt actually clouded Derryn Akseth's expression of defiance. "What?" he gasped in surprise. "Destroy all of Damoklis City? Surely you are not serious… you are obviously lying to me…"

"If those warheads go off on the surface of your planet, they're going to make one hell of a large bang!" Chakotay pointed out to him. "At least twenty kilometers of surface area in every direction will be instantly vaporized if just _one_ of them detonates. And you have _six _of them down there… the Vryke may already have another five targets in mind." He studied the Prime Magnate's expression, watching the man's doubts escalate. "Why do you think the Yukshaan military keeps a majority of those weapons aboard starships?"

"You are lying!" Akseth's voice had some of its former bluster, but not all of it.

"I am _not_ lying… _think_ about this Akseth. With the Vryke's assistance, your people are accumulating weapons that they have no idea how to handle properly. You and those soldiers are more of a danger to your citizens now than the people you continually point accusatory fingers at. What happens if one or more of those missiles surrounding your Temple develops a radiation leak? Would the loss of a few Damoklis residents be acceptable casualties in your war on the Yukshaan?" Chakotay's eyes blazed with emotion. "Your soldiers have captured weapons they have no idea how to maintain properly... and over time their shielding and guidance systems will require maintenance that can only be done by highly trained specialists. If routine safeguards are not provided, missiles like that will eventually become unstable and even more dangerous than they already are."

"We're not asking you to believe us completely," Addersbay spoke up, keeping his voice soft. His expression was calm, but it was obvious that he too was feeling the emotions of the moment. "All that my friend and I ask is that you open your mind to the _possibility_ that this Vryke creature may not be the Father Creator you think him to be. Here on _Voyager _you have seen how easily it is to be fooled and manipulated by a magician's tricks of light. The alien is no different…"

"The Yukshaan are our _enemies!_" insisted Akseth bitterly, his face purpling with continued rage. "They are evil and must be stopped before their culture corrupts mine! I have witnessed it happening time and time again with my own eyes!"

"Then why don't you at least stop lying about your own role in this matter," snapped Chakotay in response. "You've been preaching non-stop to your followers about the commitment each of them must demonstrate… the willingness to die, if necessary, for your cause. But I have noticed that as you have repeatedly made these speeches you have simultaneously worked steadily to surround yourself with soldiers and weapons to make absolutely certain that there is no personal risk to _you_. If you're going to encourage other people to sacrifice their lives and the lives of their families without any chance for a positive future in this life, shouldn't you be willing to give up you own as well? Although you encourage others to die for your cause_, I have noticed that you yourself are unwilling to die for it_. Why would that be?"

"I must live to _lead _my people…"

"Yes, you're _leading_ them all right." Chakotay growled with obvious disapproval. "You're leading them into a disaster from which they may never recover… that Vryke creature is _dangerous_ and you sit idly by on your world worshipping it." He tapped his Comm-badge and it chirped electronically in response. "I've said what I have to say Captain… we're ready in here."

As he spoke, one of the holo-projectors in the room activated and the Doctor appeared. Having transferred himself from the Astrometrics Lab, he immediately moved toward the others and activated his medical tricorder. As Chakotay and Addersbay watched, the Doctor began using the device to scan the Prime Magnate. Akseth flinched at the lights and sounds from the strange electronic device, and his face paled noticeably at the Doctor's sudden and unexpected arrival.

"Isn't _this_ similar to the demonstration that you and the Vryke showed Governor Ruksin to convince him of your Father Creator's omnipotence?" Chakotay asked curiously. "As you can see, we can also make people magically appear out of thin air too. Does such a capability automatically elevate us to a God-like status in your eyes?"

"_How_ did you…?" Akseth was caught completely off his guard, and in one of his rare moments of confusion he fell silent. He didn't quite know what to say in reply to Chakotay's latest disclosure and his voice faded as he protectively held up both hands. He touched the Doctor's arm cautiously, and after verifying that the physician indeed wore real clothing and had warm skin he began backing slowly away.

_Voyager_'s holographic Chief Medical Officer frowned in response. "I'm not going to hurt you," he promised Akseth. "I'm just checking over your physiology and vitals to make certain that everything is okay." The tricorder continued whirring and emitting its harmless odd noises for another few minutes before the Doctor finally nodded to Chakotay. "For the most part he is in good health, and I have found no signs of the manipulative alien presence within his brain cells that Lt. Paris detected and removed from General Skellan."

Chakotay sighed and gestured toward the confused Prime Magnate. "So what you're saying, Doctor, is that he really _believes_ all of this nonsense he's been telling us."

"Yes he does," agreed the Doctor. "And as someone who has great experience in dealing with elitist megalomaniacs, let me just say that I know one when I see one. I can run a psychological profile if you want, but I doubt that will tell you anything you don't already know. He's ambitious, power hungry, and will stop at nothing to achieve his objectives… a very dangerous combination in any humanoid." The Doctor scowled at the Rafalian for a moment, sizing the man up. But he had completed his analysis and reported his findings, so the Doctor's assignment on the holodeck was completed. He lightly touched his own Comm-badge and announced simply, "I am ready to return to Astrometrics." Seconds later he vanished as quickly as he appeared.

"Truly this is remarkable!" Akseth gasped in wonder after Chakotay ordered the computer to reactivate the holographic Rafali Temple program. The familiar interior surroundings of the Prime Magnate's sacred shrine appeared once more, including the altar and shining crystal Enumalis. Nothing appeared to be any different than the real Church back on his home planet, and the Prime Magnate spent quite a bit of time walking back and forth touching things. He picked up a book from one of the podiums, holding it lightly as he ran his other hand across the backrest of a pew, verifying each item's physical reality by touch as well as by sight. "This all looks so authentic…"

"You have now seen firsthand how easily it is for an advanced species to deceive us. So I ask sincerely… will you help us stop the Vryke?" asked Addersbay, almost pleading with the man. "Your voice carries great weight among your people, and the creature _needs_ to be confronted before it can kill more…"

The wonder in Derryn Akseth's eyes vanished instantaneously as he remembered where he truly was. "_No!_" he declared firmly, whirling to face the other two men. "No… the Vryke and I have plans to crush _all_ who resist us and our effort to stabilize this region will move forward. I admit that you do possess capabilities similar to those of the Father Creator, but you have achieved all of this by using technology to imitate his abilities. I believe he has the power to stop you, and together we will build a new future for my people. I have come too far now to be led astray by your devilish technology! Wait and see… you will fail and I will succeed! The Rafali people will prevail in this conflict."

Chakotay and Addersbay exchanged expressions of disappointment mixed with concern. Then the First Officer touched Joseth's arm and they both turned and began walking away from the Prime Magnate. "Exit!" said Chakotay, and seconds later a huge metal door appeared seemingly at the rear of the Church and opening at their approach. Beyond lay the familiar corridor leading back to Deck 14 of _Voyager_.

Derryn Akseth grew more enraged as he watched them leaving. "_Where_ are you going?" he demanded furiously. "_Return_ me to my planet immediately…"

_Voyager_'s First Officer glanced back just once with a fierce expression on his face that caused the remaining words to die in Akseth's throat. "No," Chakotay told him. "This isn't over yet, and we're not releasing you until it is. We're going to save your people from this menace whether you like it or not. And as for you… once all is said and done in your star system you're going to have to live with the consequences of what you have attempted to do."

"I will do so _willingly!_" snarled the Prime Magnate.

"Enjoy our copy of your Temple here on _Voyager_," said Chakotay calmly in response. "Until you hear otherwise from me, this is as close as you're going to get to the real thing."

Both he and Addersbay walked out into the corridor as the huge cargo-sized door closed behind them and promptly vanished, disguising itself once again using the image of a Church wall. Derryn Akseth seethed with anger as he watched them go. "You can confine and torture me, but you will _never_ gain my cooperation in this matter!" he shouted, even though it was obvious no one could hear him. As silence returned to the room he studied the near perfect replica of his own Church and again felt devastating anxiety building within him. The fear within him continued to be amplified by each new unknown that he encountered. If these strangers were capable of simulating the Vryke's abilities so precisely, then what else could they do?

Something had gone drastically wrong with a plan he had once thought unstoppable, and without his bodiless ally to help him he was truly powerless. Wordlessly he took a seat in one of the pews and waited… he was a prisoner until these mysterious outsiders chose to release him and he knew it. His out of control fear and anger threatened to overwhelm his emotional stability as never before, and Akseth struggled to keep his composure as the minutes slowly but continually ticked away. No one returned for him.

* * *

Chakotay and Joseth Addersbay found Captain Janeway and the Doctor in the Astrometrics Lab. B'Elanna Torres and Seven of Nine were also present, helping them fine tune the enhanced sensor array as they continued to update their newest scans of the Rafali star system. Chakotay paused in the doorway for a moment, mentally reviewing his conversation with the Rafalian Prime Magnate. Finally he shook his head in utter disbelief at the results of their prolonged conversation and entered the room with Addersbay following close behind him. He nodded toward Janeway, his mood lightening slightly at the sight of his Captain. 

"What do you think of the People's Most Revered Prime Magnate?" he asked her curiously.

"What do I_ think?_" Janeway replied, her head slowly shaking back in forth with dismay. She pointed at Addersbay and her First Officer. "We listened in on the _entire_ conversation that you two had with him," she continued, "and frankly, he sounds like a malfunctioning computer program stuck in an endless loop. You are two of the kindest, most compassionate men I have ever encountered in all of my days with Starfleet. Between the two of you, I counted at least half a dozen diplomatic options presented for discussion that would have greatly improved the status of his people. Akseth's response to _every_ one of those suggestions – even after you redirected him multiple times – was to come right back to his vision of the future… a military solution. More guns, more murder, trust in the Vryke to lead us to the promised paradise… it's all this man cares about." The Captain sighed with disappointment and waved a hand casually in the general direction of the holodeck. "I think those people are being led by a complete lunatic who cares everything about using murder to improve his power base and nothing about establishing a peaceful civilization."

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "There is deep resentment burning within that man… resentment at his culture's many flaws. I also believe he is tormented by doubts regarding his own failure to lead his people to greatness. He believes the Yukshaan have achieved good fortune at the cost of his people… that the Rafali instead deserve the good fortune and a paradise to live in. But he must speak at his services and he cannot deny the obvious. So he hides his government's failures at running their own civilization by shifting the blame toward the Yukshaan. The man is an arrogant windbag who cares nothing about the real truth of the matter."

Seven's analysis was similar to the Doctor's. "I have studied transcripts from a few of the sermons this Derryn Akseth has delivered, and he is quite skilled at identifying the problems faced by the Yukshaan democracy. But he conveniently fails to point out that his own people face _all_ of those same difficulties, not to mention an additional assortment of problems unique to their world. A majority of the extra challenges that must be dealt with by the Rafalians are due to the extremely restrictive nature of their belief system. Individuals – females in particular – are prohibited from taking responsibility for their own lives, and are often required to obtain what they need from an ineffective central government. Under Rafali doctrine, these people are not granted the freedom to run their own lives."

The Captain smiled at Joseth Addersbay. "I think you stated it best sir," she told him. "If the Rafalians do not wish to embrace a culture driven primarily by commerce in the same manner that the Yukshaan have, then that is a _choice_ that they themselves have made. Akseth's refusal to admit that other systems work better than his, not to mention his deep resentment of their successes, is a critical, emotional flaw in his leadership ability. The consequences of his actions as he tries to stir up the masses have severely damaged his people's relationship with other worlds."

"So what do we do with him?" asked B'Elanna Torres with a shrug of her shoulders. "The disappearance of their most important religious leader is going to be noticed very soon. There is going to be quite the uproar once the Rafalians discover he is missing."

"Not as much of an uproar as there would have been if Damoklis city was destroyed by the Vryke with _him_ still in it," decided Janeway. "We're keeping our good Prime Magnate right here for now… he's far too dangerous to return at this time. The Vryke is on its way back to this star system and will arrive soon… I don't want the two of them conspiring together any longer. That's especially true now that we have begun to unravel the entity's actual plans for this region. It seeks to provoke a war between all factions so that it can mold and manipulate the survivors into a unified government under its control."

Seven raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps," she said blandly. "Based on the entity's erratic behavior, it is just as likely that it wants to stir up trouble so that it can watch all of the killing. If that is the case, it will eventually grow bored with this region and move onward toward something more interesting to it."

Chakotay's gaze drifted to all of the technical data on the screens surrounding them and his curiosity got the better of him. "Have you learned anything new?" he asked the small group.

"We've discovered quite a bit actually," noted B'Elanna with an amused smile. "The Vryke left most of its particle field in this star system after it followed us to the Yukshaan home world." She pointed to her console, where maps of both the Yukshaan and Rafali star systems graphically depicted dense clouds of the red computer-coded particles they had become so used to seeing. "Apparently it can condense only a small percentage of itself onto a starship and still keep the vessel warp capable. Once it departed for Yukshaan, the Vryke left a great deal of its radiant structure behind."

"That does make sense," the First Officer decided. "If the entity is primarily electromagnetic in nature and grows by absorbing the radiation emitted by stars, it would be unable to store too much of itself on a vessel without all that energy disrupting the primary power systems."

"So it leaves behind the larger 'shell' of its body in the same manner that a snake sheds an older skin," agreed Torres. "According to a detailed sensor scan, the particles remaining in this star system are gradually fading into the local background radiation… if the Vryke doesn't return they would eventually decay entirely. But if the starship holding the essence of its 'brain' returns, I believe it will be able to reassert its control over the entire network of radiation and thereby restore itself back to full strength as soon as it arrives."

"The particle cloud in the Rafali star system is not expanding without the presence of the central consciousness, but it _is_ definitely still intact," Seven acknowledged. "Were we to return to the Yukshaan system I am certain we would discover that it has also left behind a spherical cloud of its radiant energy there as well."

Chakotay studied the star map. "That's why it protected those new wormholes so aggressively. It wants to be able to use its sublight ability to move through space without the aid of a starship. If it could switch back and forth between star systems every hour or two…"

"…perhaps every minute or two…" pointed out Seven as she noted the short distance from the Yukshaan home world to the area where the sub-space ruptures were being dug.

He smiled at her. "Every minute or two…" he acknowledged. "That would give it the ability to run its little empire with or without a starship, which is exactly what it has been after all along."

The Captain continued studying the sensor data. "We've analyzed the telemetry from _Columbia_, and compared them with Seven's scans during our recent battle with the Vryke. They show that the electromagnetic signature of the central brain has _not_ changed… we can clearly identify the original entity along with hundreds of exact copies of itself that it made to enhance the cognitive power of its consciousness. There are also billions of additional particles that do not match the original, each of which appear to have varying capabilities. Some of them were used to power that shield around its starship, others were transformed into the physical matter that it threw at us. The larger this creature's body grows, the more 'brain' cells it needs to create in order to maintain an efficient hold over all of its elementary particles."

"So there may be no limitations… no final maturation?" wondered the Doctor. "Its size is limited only by available starlight? That sounds too incredible to be true!"

"Without letting it continue to grow, there is no way to know for certain," decided Torres. "And I don't think that this is an experiment we would want to permit to continue at this point. Since the Vryke is energy based and electromagnetic in nature, we should be able to find some sort of radiation that would disrupt its higher brain functions… either temporarily or permanently. But we would need to find a way to get close enough to accomplish that."

The Captain nodded. "I agree. Attacking its brain is our best chance."

The Doctor cringed. "You're going to _kill_ it… just like that?" he gasped with surprise. "That creature is the _last_ of its kind and over 300 million years old! Science deserves a chance to study it!" His holographic expression appeared horrified. "Please Captain…"

"Right now I have no other options," the Captain told him. "If you can find me another solution I will consider it. But the alien has demonstrated repeatedly that it is hostile and that it intends to make war on these people. The Vryke has the ability to attack entire planets and it is on its way back here even as we speak. So if you want me to spare its life you had better work quickly."

The Doctor nodded briskly. "B'Elanna, please transfer a complete copy of all available sensor data to Sickbay," he requested. As soon as she nodded in agreement he switched locations again, vanishing from the room.

"Whether we kill it or find a way to pull its claws and spare it, how do we get close enough to make a difference?" wondered Chakotay. "It almost captured us the last time we tried to attack it. Another attempt would be risky, and the creature will be much less curious this time and much more likely to simply destroy us… just as it threatened it would."

Janeway chuckled. "The Vryke is thinking just like our Prime Magnate, Chakotay. It is greedy, ambitious, and power hungry – not to mention extremely unstable. We should be able to take advantage of those character flaws and use them against it."

Torres watched the sparkle in the Captain's eyes carefully. "Not getting crushed or blown up would be desirable too," she decided with a chuckle. There was a pause in their conversation and a thought suddenly occurred to her. "We asked Starfleet to skip yesterday's transmission," she reminded Janeway. "So what do we do about today's scheduled communication? They'll be opening a micro-wormhole in less than five hours!"

The Captain touched her Comm-badge. "Janeway to Ensign Kim."

"_Ensign Kim here. What can I do for you Captain?_"

"How long until the Vryke's starship returns to the Rafali star system?"

There was a pause as he checked the Ops console for precise details. "_Seven hours, fourteen minutes Captain_," he replied efficiently.

Janeway nodded and glanced around at the team of specialists surrounding her. "That will allow us to meet with Starfleet one final time before our second encounter with the Vryke. I'm going to ask Admiral Paris to cancel tomorrow's transmission, just in case our current situation isn't resolved by then. That's all we need right now is for that thing to follow Starfleet's wormhole all the way back to the Alpha Quadrant."

"We'll just set up a safe site several light years away from here and plan for another transmission in two days time," nodded B'Elanna. She displayed and studied a layout of the sector. "There are plenty of unpopulated areas to choose from… how about here?" Her finger touched an area near the sub-space rupture that had initially lured them further into the region.

"Agreed," replied the Captain, reactivating her Comm-badge. "Harry, I have a special mission for you… one of utmost importance."

"_Oh? And what might that be?_" he asked curiously. Although he was maintaining watch on the bridge, he was definitely paying attention.

"In our first conflict with the Vryke, it very nearly defeated us," admitted the Captain. "That creature is dangerous and unpredictable, so we have to be prepared for every contingency… even the unlikely, undesirable ones. I want you and Commander Data to take the _Delta Flyer_ and use it to fly Governor Ruksin's wife and children back to General Skellan's fleet. Take Naomi Wildman and Icheb with you, and chart a course well out range of the Vryke's returning starship. Once you've delivered your passengers to the Yukshaan, both you and the Commander are ordered to return to Rafali Prime right away. If the General is willing, bring back a fleet of his starships with you. Hopefully, by then we won't need the extra assistance."

"_Acknowledged. I'll gather everyone together and we'll leave right away_."

"Sanctuary on Yukshaan won't do the children much good if there _is_ a war in this region," Chakotay pointed out. He studied the concerned expression on her face and instantly wished he hadn't brought up the subject. The Captain had enough to concern her at this point.

Janeway pressed her lips together firmly, the decision final. "If anything should happen to _Voyager_, those young people should at least have a chance to live as refugees on the General's world," she countered. "Our job is simply to make certain that the worst doesn't come to pass, that's all."

"What about the Prime Magnate?" asked Torres. "The Rafalians still possess captured Yukshaan vessels and weapons, along with their own fleet of warp capable starships. It's quite possible that they may go to war over his kidnapping."

"Not before the Vryke gets back," Janeway insisted. "And I think we should put the seven hours we still have available to us to good use. I think it's time to make the Rafali people aware of a few simple truths that have thus far been withheld from them."

* * *

Captain Janeway and Chakotay lingered behind in Astrometrics after the others had left. They took some extra time and debated their stand on the issues, challenging each other repeatedly. This insured that they explored all options before finalizing the next stage of their plan, but they did not solve everything together. Once they reached the part of the discussion that involved combat, the Captain used her Comm-badge to contact Lt. Tuvok and politely requested that he take a few minutes to join them. His arrival prompted another intense and lengthy conversation, during which the Vulcan surprisingly agreed with the Doctor's point of view. 

"Loss of life in any form is regrettable," he told them. "To simply destroy an entity that has existed for 300 million years would truly be a tragic loss. The Vryke could be an ancestor of the Organians, perhaps even the 'Q'…"

Janeway held up her hands and shrugged. "We're out of time and options Lieutenant," she countered. "For what it's worth I agree with you, but this creature has killed indiscriminately on far too many occasions. We've seen firsthand its attempt to capture the Yukshaan planet, and I won't let that happen again… on _any_ of these worlds."

"The Vryke is just as guilty of mass murder as Derryn Akseth," agreed Chakotay. "But I think that what we really need to ask ourselves is whether or not we have the authority to dispense justice in this sector. All three cultures have warp capability and are aware of the existence of other alien races, but that doesn't mean the Prime Directive simply ceases to apply."

The Captain was leaning against the console normally operated by Seven, and she rested her chin on the end of her right fist as she carefully thought the matter over. "I understand exactly what you're getting at Commander," she told him sincerely. "But once someone learns to kill repeatedly and without compassion, they almost certainly will do it again. So what I'm asking myself sounds more like this… does that type of mentality deserve to be saved after all the suffering it has caused? Should we give the Prime Magnate or the Vryke a second chance without any penalty or consequences for the suffering that they have caused to their victims? What about the families of all those victims? What about the crew of _Columbia_?" She took a deep breath. "I've seen it before, in too many societies. What these people have had, particularly on Rafali Prime, are extremely bad, immoral role models hogging the political spotlight. I think it will do them some good to get a look at the really genuine, compassionate people who have been quietly working toward positive change, hidden in the background throughout all the ruckus. Those are the people whose behavior that people should learn to emulate… those are the people who should truly be their heroes."

Tuvok was silent for longer than she expected, but he finally spoke up. "This is a most complex situation with the fate of billions of lives hanging on what we do next," he observed. "I don't envy you the decisions that you must make Captain. If our insight has helped you on this most important matter, then I am honored you value our counsel so greatly."

Janeway smiled gratefully at him, one of the warmest emotional reactions she had ever shown him. "You're my moral compass, remember?" she told him. "We work together… because each of us, as an individual, is imperfect. That's a concept our fearsome, self-absorbed Prime Magnate simply does not understand. It takes a lot of hard work, and people working together as a team to solve complicated problems… not a bunch of loud-mouthed grandstanding."

"Derryn Akseth's people are likely to cause the uproar that B'Elanna has predicted."

Janeway glanced toward Chakotay and shook her head in disagreement. "He's the loudest voice at the top of the heap," she replied. "There will be many – especially those he stepped on along the way up – who will cheer when they hear he has disappeared. We're going to let the smoke clear and see if clearer heads prevail, and I think that's just what's going to happen. There are quite a few Churches on Rafali Prime that are teaching proper moral values to their children and truly making an effort to help one another. Derryn Akseth is a wolf in sheep's clothing, so I think we should make certain that everyone down on that planet knows who and what he truly is."

This time, neither of them disagreed with her.


	16. Duty, Honor, Country

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul **

**Chapter XV: Duty, Honor, Country**

* * *

Alpha Quadrant, Deep Space Nine, Stardate 54951.5:

* * *

Lieutenant-Commander Nog passed curiously through the Operations Command Center aboard Deep Space Nine and trotted up the short rise leading to Patrick Hazelton's office. The tall, well built station Commander was waiting for him with his usual friendly smile. Hazelton's sandy brown hair was parted down the middle, and his eyes blazed bright hazel. Gracefully he waved Nog toward one of the empty chairs in front of his desk, but the young Ferengi Starfleet officer declined with a shake of his head and remained standing at attention. 

"Relax Commander, I hear that the tough part of your assignment is over." Hazelton continued smiling as he sized up the young Ferengi. Nog's family was the pride of his people – especially so since his father Rom had ascended to the prestigious Grand Nagus position on the Ferenginar home world. Both father and son had a long history of working alongside Starfleet, and their courage and determination to fight for the Alpha Quadrant during the Dominion War had done wonders to improve relations between the Federation and the Ferengi Alliance.

"Yes sir," Nog replied a bit nervously, his thoughts racing as he tried to come up with some sort of casual comment to break the ice between them. Once his eyes found the familiar sight of Captain Sisko's baseball on the desk, the Ferengi's eyes lit up with recognition and his loss for words vanished. "You kept Captain Sisko's baseball!" he said with a grin.

Hazelton chuckled with genuine amusement. "I was _ordered_ to keep it!" he informed Nog. "Colonel Kira told me that this baseball stays _right_ where it is until Benjamin Sisko comes back to pick it up… just like he promised he would." Folding the fingers of both hands together, the Commander nodded with great respect. "I would like to offer my congratulations to both you and Captain Goldwolf for successfully returning _Columbia_ to the Alpha Quadrant."

"Thank you sir." Nog's skin color made it difficult to tell whether or not he was blushing, but it was obvious from his enthusiastic response that the high praise meant a lot to him. "Serving in Starfleet continues to be a great honor for me." The Ferengi exhaled slowly and took a deep breath, some of his nervousness dissipating in the process.

"Our work teams have successfully detached _Columbia_ from the _Saga-2_ and docked her at upper pylon One. Captain Goldwolf contacted me a short while ago to let me know that he is making preparations to return to the Benini star system within the hour. However, Starfleet Command has also been in contact with me and they asked me to relay a message to you."

Although he had been shuffled back and forth between Deep Space Nine and various other assignments over the years, Nog was usually in the vicinity of Bajor. He was certain that part of the reason behind those decisions was to keep him close to home, especially now that his father had such a grandiose position within the Ferengi government. Thus far, however, he had not had the opportunity to work closely with Patrick Hazelton and was not completely certain just what to expect from the man.

"Sir?" he asked curiously. "Starfleet Command sent _me_ a message?"

"They did indeed." The Commander swiveled his monitor so that Nog could get a better look at its display – on which was a detailed diagram of _Columbia_'s schematics. "Do you remember the original mission assigned to Red Squad when they initially boarded the _Valiant?_"

"Yes sir," Nog stated in reply. "Their assignment was to obtain direct on the job experience by working with a team of senior Starfleet officers. Originally their mission was to crew the _Valiant_ on a long range course circling the entire Federation, but – like so many of us – they got caught in the middle of the Dominion War. By the time Jake Sisko and I ran across them, all the senior officers had been killed." His gaze drifted toward the floor… they were difficult memories for him still, even years later.

"Starfleet is interested in renewing that original mission, but in a much different fashion," Hazelton announced. "Subjects like warp field theory and quantum mechanics are very difficult for most of us to learn, so on the job experience for newly-graduated cadets is vitally important. But so is starting out with a more simpler, basic model and gradually teaching the more complex intricacies behind modern warp engines as the cadets gain experience." He pointed at the monitor. "Starfleet is going to repair _Columbia_ and recreate her warp core using replicated parts and materials consistent with the original design. They're going to build the original warp five engine that was in her and then use the NX-02 as a training vessel for freshly graduated recruits. It will be similar to the _Valiant_ mission, but much more symbolic as well."

Nog grinned, overwhelmed at the possibilities. "That's a _great_ idea!" he decided after giving the matter some thought. "I would bet you're going to have a lot of experienced space veterans who will also want to work and fly on one of the original warp five starships. How are you going to keep them away so that the recruits can learn?"

"Fortunately, the new _Columbia_ personnel roster is not my problem to resolve," Hazelton decided. "However, once the NX-02 has been repaired and successfully launched on her new mission, she's going to need a Captain to command her first shakedown cruise. It has been requested that I ask if you might perhaps be interested in that assignment." He focused his gaze solely on the Ferengi. "Would you?"

Nog held his composure very well as he absorbed the news, his thoughts racing faster by the minute. "I would be _very_ interested in taking that assignment, sir. I can't think of a better way to honor the memory of those who originally flew her."

"It will also be one of the ways that Starfleet honors _everyone_ who gave their life in the war, including the crew from the _Valiant_," added Hazelton with a sincere smile. "I'll pass along word of your acceptance to Starfleet the next time I send them a status report. Once the _Enterprise_ and Captain Picard's task force successfully return from their Gamma Quadrant mission, you can stop by and we'll complete the paperwork and make everything official. For now, I believe you already have a starship of your own to command… at least until such time as the _Volsunga Saga_ reassembles back at Benini Five."

"Aye sir." Nog nodded respectfully. "Thank you sir."

"Then that will be all, Nog. Have a _safe_ trip back to the Gamma Quadrant… please try to stay away from the Jem'Hadar this time."

"I will… and thank you, Commander!" Nog held his disciplined stance until he was out of Hazelton's office, still quite astonished by the news. First he had been offered the unexpected opportunity to command the _Saga-2_, and now he would also have the chance to fly one of the original Starfleet NX vessels. He couldn't wait to send the next subspace message to his parents.

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, _Yellowjacket_ runabout, Stardate 54951.6:

* * *

Colonel Kira watched the shining white stars glistening in the distance beyond the large, spacious cockpit window aboard the _Yellowjacket_. She ran her fingers lovingly over the helm controls of the Knighthawk-Class runabout, delighting in the sophisticated improvements that had been applied to this newest version of the reliable spacecraft that she had come to know and love so well over the years. The total processing capacity of the main computer had also been improved, as well as its ability to implement a variety of autopilot programs during unexpected combat or emergency situations. 

"I wish this classification of runabout had been available when Captain Sisko was first assigned to Deep Space Nine," she said with glowing admiration. "This ship is beautiful!"

Behind her, Riker and Worf were both busy eating a late lunch. "It is pretty amazing, isn't it?" Riker agreed, calling out to her from the main work area in the center of the fuselage. "Not just every starship gets one of these… it has a maximum emergency engine rating of warp 9.95, a faster rating than even the _Enterprise_."

"We have not yet tested that claim," countered Worf disagreeably, setting his empty tray on the table in front of him. "I think Captain Picard would disagree with your assessment, which is based on data provided by the obviously biased designers of this vessel. I have every confidence that the _Enterprise_ would easily be able to beat this ship at any time in a speed competition."

"Oh really?" grinned Riker. "Would you like to make a small wager on that, my Klingon friend?"

Worf said nothing, taking a deep breath and glaring at the Commander with frustration. "It would not be a fair test anyway," he said finally. "The _Enterprise_ requires a much larger warp field to sustain its velocity due to its larger mass. A more realistic assessment could be made by comparing each vessel's maximum speed against its total mass. In that regard, the Sovereign-Class starship _cannot_ be beaten."

"Oh give it up already, will you Worf?" Kira teased, laughing enthusiastically at his defensive reaction.

As the Colonel's reaction caused the large Klingon to growl in response, Riker pointed toward the outer hull and mouthed the words "This ship is faster!" while turning in his seat so that only she could see his face.

Kira continued watching the helm and their progress as they visited. "Seriously Worf," she continued. "When you were first assigned to Deep Space Nine, I suspected you were a hopeless case. Once you left your quarters on board the station and started living on the _Defiant_, I _knew_ you were!"

"He has always been that way Colonel," grinned Riker as he continued to finish his own meal. "Even back when I first met him, Worf walked around projecting the image of a growling bear. But once you get to know him, that Klingon heart of gold starts to shine right through for anyone who's watching closely."

"What was he like back then?" Kira asked with a mischievous glance at the pair. "What was the good Lieutenant-Commander like back in those early days when he first joined Starfleet?"

Riker leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Oh the memories…" he laughed. "Where would I begin?" He thought for a moment and then nodded. "There was the time that he asked Captain Picard for permission to clean up the bridge while 'Q' was annoying the hell out of us… those times he played an old Earth Sheriff in the ancient West of South Dakota with his son as deputy… and also the many occasions when he cared for Data's cat." He paused for a moment. "I think both of us have battle scars from babysitting Data's cat."

"There is no tougher assignment in all of Starfleet," agreed Worf.

"Then there are those holodeck exercise programs," continued the Commander. He winced slightly as he stretched out his legs into a more relaxing position. "What setting he chooses to run them at when he's alone I don't even want to know. Level six is tough enough for me, and I've had over fifteen years of experience practicing." Riker took a moment to flex both arms and Kira could hear his bones creaking a bit. "No one as young as I am should have bones that sound like that!" he pointed out.

Worf glanced at his bruised colleague with very little sympathy apparent. "If you humans were not so fragile and quick to age, your combat abilities would be vastly superior."

Riker ignored the not-so-subtle poke from the Klingon and continued. "Lately he's got an entirely new holodeck program… he fights the battle of Klach Dach Brach or some such nonsense. I haven't tried that one out yet, but it looks even more violent than his usual choices."

Kira listened to the interplay between the two with ongoing amusement. "It's called the battle of _kLACH d'KEL bRAKT_," she informed the Commander. "A legendary battle between the Klingons and the Romulans… I'm not completely sure but I think he got the program from a friend of Jadzia's named Kor."

"It was indeed a glorious battle, filled with countless acts of Klingon courage and bravery." Worf smiled at the memories he had of his reenactments of the battle. "I can sing you the song of its soldiers if you would like…"

Riker held up his hands helplessly. "Please don't…" he begged.

Kira continued laughing at his reaction. Obviously, Worf had just as much history with the _Enterprise_ crew as the time he had spent with Deep Space Nine's original command team. She let the two of them go on arguing about memories for a minute or two longer, but eventually her curiosity got the better of her. "It looks like we're still on course for the Yadera star system," she pointed out. "I'm honored that you chose me as your Gamma Quadrant guide, but could you please share a few of the details with me? Why are we going there?"

"Do you remember Yadera?" Riker asked curiously.

"Absolutely," she told him. "A colony from that world was discovered by Odo and Jadzia early on in our exploration of the Gamma Quadrant. The incident turned out to be one of the most impressive pre-war discoveries Starfleet made in the Gamma Quadrant. Except for one refugee, the entire colony turned out to be a society of holograms controlled from a central mainframe. The man who designed the thing…"

Riker nodded and interrupted helpfully. "His name was Rurigan."

"…Yes. This Rurigan had apparently grown tired of the Dominion occupation of his home world. He told Jadzia and Odo that their presence had destroyed his life there. So he fled to an isolated, habitable planet and built a huge holographic generator. He used its capabilities to create a city and population that was completely photon based, just to keep him occupied and immune to loneliness. He lived there for many years in peace, with only holographic representations of his friends and family to keep him company. He told Jadzia and Odo that he just wanted to recreate what he had lost, and in many ways the two of them returned to Deep Space Nine convinced that he had."

"Those events must have occurred before I was assigned to serve with Captain Sisko," decided Worf. "I do not remember that particular incident."

Kira persisted in her search for answers. "So what has this Rurigan fellow got to do with our current mission?"

"Probably nothing," admitted Riker. "But there was a headstone next to the six _Columbia_ graves that we found on Benini Five. Carved into its surface was a simple diagram of the Yadera star system, which is just a short distance away from Benini. That's why Captain Picard requested that we make a quick diplomatic journey to Yadera to see if we can determine just exactly what happened to Erika Hernandez and the rest of her crew."

The Colonel digested the information with interest. "That sounds reasonable," she decided. "And if the _Columbia_ did indeed crash within the timeframe you mentioned earlier, there is every reason to believe that some of these people might very well still be alive… depending upon just who removed them from Benini Five and what has happened since. Perhaps they were all captured by the Dominion?" She knew it was unlikely, but wanted to see Worf's reaction.

"That's what we're going to find out," concluded Riker.

As expected, Worf rumbled with opposition to Kira's suggestion. "Why would the Dominion have bothered removing the entire crew from the planet in the first place?" he said darkly. "They would have taken a few prisoners to interrogate and executed the others as spies."

Riker nodded, moving forward into the _Yellowjacket_'s cockpit. "I agree," he said. "It also doesn't make any sense for the Jem'Hadar to have left behind a map of the Yadera system." He studied the progress of their journey on the helm console before glancing expectantly to Kira. "Would you like me to fly for awhile?"

"No, that's not necessary Commander… this new runabout design feels very comfortable," grinned Kira, right before her expression again grew serious. "So how come the initial Starfleet team that found _Columbia_ prior to the Dominion war began never reported this stone marker and its diagram? We could have cloaked the _Defiant_ and investigated the situation for Starfleet at any time, right up until the Gamma Quadrant destabilized and the war started."

"Because according to the telemetry recorded by the survey team, that stone marker _wasn't_ there yet," replied Riker with a wink. "That's the mystery we're hoping to solve… Captain Picard is interested to know just who went back to the Benini system _after_ the war and put it there."

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54951.6:

* * *

B'Elanna Torres tossed aside the data padd she had been holding and sighed with frustration, touching the surface of her swollen belly to remind herself that angry thoughts and continued high stress levels were not good for her unborn daughter. She turned to the young man standing next to her and gave him a gentle shove toward the nearest exit in engineering. "_Out!_" she ordered in her most commanding tone of voice. "I don't know _why_ Captain Janeway assigned you to go with the rest of the children Icheb," she told him firmly. "If you have a problem with following her order, then that's something I think you should take up with her." 

Icheb's expression clearly showed the intensity of his anger. "The _rest_ of the children?" he declared sharply, noticeably annoyed. "I'm not a _boy_ any longer. I _don't_ need to be protected and I think I can be of much more value to _Voyager_ if I stay right here… assisting you in engineering or helping Seven of Nine with sensor scans in Astrometrics." His anger vanished and was replaced almost instantly with one of genuine concern. "I've already helped her create detailed maps of the Vryke's activity in both the Yukshaan and Rafali star systems. I'm sure there are lots of things I can do to assist with the continued improvement of our defenses."

Torres paused near the main engineering console beneath the shimmering warp core, its throaty rumble filling the large chamber with its powerful resonance. She turned to Icheb with her lips tightly clenched together, somehow managing to maintain a hold on her patience. Calmly, _Voyager_'s Chief Engineer put a hand on his shoulder. "We all know how talented you are Icheb," she said – much more calmly than she would have expected her voice to sound. "But the Captain obviously feels that it is better if you go with Harry and Commander Data on the _Flyer_. The Captain's orders are not requests, so if you intend to serve in Starfleet someday you had better get used to following orders even if you don't fully agree with them."

Behind her Tom Paris appeared, having found a rare few minutes of spare time to come down and visit with her. He saw the look in her eyes as she continued her conversation with Icheb and smiled wryly, turning to speak with Ensign Vorek until she finished. He watched with mild amusement out of the corner of his eye as Icheb tried his best to stand up to her.

"How come _you're_ not going?" asked Icheb suddenly, pointing to her pregnant mid-section. "You have an unborn child in there… why isn't the Captain trying to keep both you and your child safe? That would make more sense, wouldn't it?"

B'Elanna thought the matter over for a moment and then took another deep breath. "Yes it would," she admitted finally. "But I think the Captain knows that someone has to stay behind and help Lt. Carey and Ensign Vorik design and build electrostatic shielding for an entire planet… a project – I might add – that's turning out to be a lot more difficult than I thought it would be!"

"I could help…" He said, his tone almost pleading with her.

Paris stepped forward and smiled warmly. "I couldn't help overhearing the last part of your conversation," he admitted, allowing B'Elanna to nod gratefully at him and return her attention to her work. "We all know what you're capable of doing on this ship Icheb, you've proven that repeatedly on many occasions."

"So why is the Captain sending me away?" The perceived rejection had truly rattled him.

Tom shrugged his shoulders. "Orders are orders," he decided. "When things get tough and lives are at stake, that's the most critical time for a Captain. They need to coordinate the actions of their crew as they see fit. Relying on them to follow instructions is often crucial, particularly in situations like this one."

Icheb chuckled, but not with amusement. "You've disobeyed her before… you were even busted back to Ensign for awhile. So why shouldn't I follow my instincts too?"

"I was reprimanded," agreed Paris with a thin smile. "I'm not perfect, and I've screwed up on many occasions. But I was wrong to disobey her orders and I am fortunate that Captain Janeway has always had a lot of faith in me. I'm also lucky that my misdirected ideology while on _Voyager_ hasn't gotten anyone killed yet. That's a tough thing to live with, you know… when you run off making decisions of your own and people die because of them. Some people never recover emotionally from that type of thing."

"I don't want to leave all of you behind," insisted Icheb. "Certainly not now…"

"What about Ensign Kim and Commander Data?" Paris asked him curiously. "They've been assigned to go with you. Did you ever consider the fact that the Captain may have chosen you specifically _because_ she has so much faith in you? If the _Delta Flyer_ runs into any of the Rafalian starships patrolling this region they're going to have a tough time on their hands. Kim and Data will need all the additional help they can get, especially someone with your technical skills."

For the first time since he had entered engineering, Icheb seemed to settle down a bit. "That does make a lot of sense," he decided. "No one knows the engines on _Voyager _better than Lt. Torres."

"My advice would be to go on the mission and do the best job you can to help it succeed," suggested Paris with a smile. "You're old enough to assume adult responsibilities, so Ensign Kim and Commander Data will be counting on your expertise and insight."

"Okay," the Brunali youngster decided. "The _Delta Flyer_ it is. But I'm not happy with this decision… I think my skills could be better used here."

"Governor Ruksin's children have developed a growing friendship with Naomi Wildman, and she looks up to you a lot," Tom observed. "Naomi, like you, is getting older but she's young enough yet that she's likely to be a bit frightened by all of this nonsense. Just by being there with her you'll keep her mood positive, and that will help all those younger children."

Icheb nodded and headed out the exit and toward the shuttle bay. As he left B'Elanna glanced up at Tom and gave him a very warm smile. "And you keep telling me that you're worried about being a father," she scolded him. "You handled that situation a lot better than I did."

Tom hugged her and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "That's because I don't punch first and ask questions later," he grinned, receiving a sharp jab on the shoulder in response. "How is your new planetary defense system progressing?"

"Slowly…" admitted B'Elanna. "All the parts are ready for replication, but I'm having a difficult time locating a large enough power source to generate a defense field that can encompass all of Rafali Prime. The Captain told me not to worry about that part yet… she says she has that issue resolved already."

"The Captain has a lot of things resolved," Paris told her. "She's down in Sickbay right now discussing options with the Doctor. Rumor is that they've got three levels of attack planned for the Vryke: heal, punish or destroy. They're going to start by being nice and move toward punish and destroy if the need arises."

"Really?" B'Elanna set down the tools she was working with and looked intrigued.

"Really," Paris echoed in reply. "The Doctor noticed that the gravity well surrounding Questar appears to have subtly altered some of the electromagnetic properties of the Vryke. He has a detailed analysis of its cognitive abilities and believes that it has been injured gradually over time. So he's designed a filter of some sort that should screen out and remove all of the distorted energy patterns from its central brain functions. He is certain that the cumulative growth of those disruptions is the direct cause of its arrogance and paranoia. I personally think that all those millennia of isolation are the primary cause of its irrational behavior, but _he's_ the Doctor. With some fine tuning he thinks he might be able to restore it to a rational state of mind."

Torres snorted with disgust. "He's going to treat it as though it were mentally ill?" she said with astonishment. "What if he's _wrong?_ What if the Vryke is simply a really evil creature that truly and sincerely just wants to kill all of us?"

"That's where the 'punish' and 'destroy' options come into play."

"_If_ the Vryke gives us a second chance to try them… Honestly, only the Doctor would try to cure a hostile creature that has mercilessly killed hundreds of people," said B'Elanna with disbelief. She continued studying the latest updates to the design schematics on the console in front of her. "I still don't know how we're going to get close enough to do anything to its centralized consciousness… let alone cure the damned thing. Have you seen the power output from that deflector shield it generated around itself in the Yukshaan system? A hundred Federation starships would never even put a dent in that!"

He kissed her again on the cheek, this time longer and more tenderly. "The Captain has that part already figured out too."

"Oh she does, does she?" B'Elanna smiled and pulled away, glancing nervously around at the other engineering officers on duty, all of them who were busily working around them. "Save the mushy stuff for later," she told Paris brusquely. "We've agreed to keep our public behavior civilized and compliant with Starfleet protocol, remember?"

"Ah yes, decorum." Tom took a step back and watched the engineering team working furiously around him. "I've got to get back to the bridge in a few minutes, but I wanted to stop by and make certain that everything was okay with you. If we get into another fight with that creature, promise me you'll be extra careful?" The boyish mischief had vanished from Paris' expression. "It's a lot easier to get knocked around or otherwise injured down here," he pointed out. "You and our unborn little one really need to watch it for another few weeks."

"I'm always careful," she replied firmly. "And I know how to take care of myself." She paused for a minute, eyes roving back and forth across the schematic-filled screens in front of her. "Just what _is_ this Vryke Tom?" she asked him. "How can something possibly survive – even as an energy being – for 300 _million_ years?"

"I honestly don't know," he decided. "That creature is obviously not something even Starfleet crews run across on an everyday basis… as Seven would say it appears to be unique."

Torres continued mentally reviewing the possibilities. "Perhaps it is an ancestor of someone like 'Q'," she speculated. "Perhaps even a brother or cousin of some sort… after all, 'Q' has always claimed that he too is immortal."

Paris chuckled. "'Q' has made a lot of claims over the years," he pointed out. "I don't know exactly what the Vryke is, but I don't believe it is an ancestor or relative of the Continuum."

"If we weren't here and these planets were slightly less technically advanced, who on any of the worlds in the Trade Coalition would be able to argue that it _isn't_ God?"

Paris was unusually quiet for a minute as he thought carefully about her statement. "Based on what we've seen so far, I don't think it would have nearly the same ability to wreak havoc on a pre-industrial world." He shrugged his shoulders. "The Vryke _needs_ technology to fully take advantage of its energy based capabilities… I would imagine that is one of the reasons it chose this particular sector as its new home."

She thought about his comments quietly for a moment, then changed the subject slightly. "What do you think will happen to _your_ soul once you die, Tom?" Her question was direct and it caught Paris completely off guard. "Do _you_ think there's an afterlife?"

"I don't know," Tom admitted. "I don't usually think about death… I guess I just sort of decided not to think about it until I got a lot older."

"You _are_ old," she chided him, smacking his chest lightly with one of her fists.

"I just hope that if there is some sort of life after death, it isn't run by an entity like the Vryke," he continued. "If that's the way things turn out at the very end of my life, I'd rather just vanish into nothingness when my time comes." He chuckled mildly at her disapproving reaction. "I know, I _know_ that you've had a glimpse of your own Klingon afterlife and of Sto-Vo-Kor. But remember that incident several years ago, where the Captain ran into _another_ energy-based life form? She and Chakotay crashed one of our shuttles, and that creature disguised itself as her father and claimed to be leading her to the afterlife. In reality he was trying to feed off the remnants of her life force. I can accept the concept that God exists, but our encounters with hostile creatures like that have made it much more difficult for me to accept it as fact without a lot of proof. There are a lot more hostile forms of life waiting out there; alien beings who can masquerade as a friendly 'Father Creator' until we lesser life forms fall for its tricks. So I guess when someone shows up claiming to be God, I personally am going to need to see an ID of some sort before I believe him."

"Once we die, there's no stopping what happens next. It's completely out of our hands."

"That's right," agreed Paris. "That's why I plan to use the intelligence given to me by the real Creator while I walk in _this_ universe. And if he does decide to show up while we're still alive and kicking, then I would hope he would behave much better than this Vryke creature. If there is a God, then I think he will be someone who is kind and gentle and compassionate to all life forms… not just to the people of one particular culture." He leaned over and kissed her again. "I have to get back to the bridge… we can talk about this more later."

She nodded in response. "And I have to coordinate the completion of a planetary anti-Vryke shield," she chuckled. "We're almost finished, by the way… the new defense system should be operational and ready for deployment within another hour or two. I hope it works!"

"Of course it will work," Paris said with respect. "You can build anything you set your mind to!"

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, _Yellowjacket_ runabout, Stardate 54951.7:

* * *

The Starfleet runabout dropped out of warp and approached the Yadera star system at half-impulse. Riker was piloting this time, and he watched the orange sun in the cockpit windows swell rapidly as he accessed the helm command functions and set a course for the Yadera home world. He studied the results of his initial sensor sweep, noticing that there were several warp-capable starships patrolling the area… their maximum capabilities primarily unknown. One of the alien vessels spotted them immediately and also changed course, angling outward on a direct line to intercept them. 

Riker activated the ship's subspace transceiver. "This is Commander William T. Riker aboard the Starfleet vessel _Yellowjacket_, requesting permission to approach Yadera Prime. Our shields and weapons are powered down. We are on a diplomatic mission from the United Federation of Planets, which is located half a galaxy away… in the Alpha Quadrant."

Behind him, both Kira and Worf stood ready. "I certainly hope they're as friendly as Rurigan was," noted the Colonel softly. She too was watching the growing image of the star in front of them, its bright rays blazing into the runabout's interior and casting odd shadows along the equipment beneath the windows.

"Commander, perhaps shields would be an advisable precaution." Worf was watching the tactical console over Riker's shoulder curiously, noticing that they were basically a sitting duck for the larger starship. To be fair, however, he could also see that the approaching vessel's weapons were not yet powered.

"Not yet," insisted Riker as he watched the long, slender cigar-shape of the alien starship slow its approach. The alien vessel had four small wings sprouting from the center of its fuselage with medium-sized warp nacelles attached to each. The lengthy, missile-like starship came to a full stop between them and the inner planets, its identification lights flashing with a strobe-like effect along the surface of its outer hull. Each time they lit up the visitors could see strange, unreadable alien symbols and alphabet-like markings painted there.

An electronic chime sounded from the communications console and a viewscreen to Riker's left lit up as the ship's main computer automatically detected and processed an incoming signal. On the screen he could see a short, stocky male wearing the traditional white robes of his people. A simple, matching cap covered his entire head and hid the color of his hair. The man nodded respectfully to him, as did several other crew members flanking him to the left and right.

"_I am Captain Borimal of the Yaderan exploration vessel_ Pioksett Kiv," the newcomer told them. "_As representatives of Starfleet, you are most welcome in our system… expected in fact_." His hands touched a large, brown beaded necklace – one of several he was wearing – that hung around his neck. Additional strings of the beads also dangled from various places surrounding his short, frumpy cap.

"Expected?" Suspicion clouded Worf's expression, but Riker held up a cautioning hand.

"That's good to know," acknowledged Riker gratefully. "Do we have permission for an orbital approach to Yadera Prime? I'm not certain which government official we should talk to, but we do have a few items to discuss."

"_Certainly you may approach our world_," replied Borimal with a warm smile. "_The_ Pioksett Kiv _will escort you in and I will then provide you with coordinates to meet with a representative from our central government office. Those like you who fought and liberated the Gamma Quadrant from the iron hand of the Dominion will always be welcome on our world… your people have truly done mine a great service_."

The screen went dark as the transmission terminated and Riker smiled with relief. "Well, it looks like we've found one of those rare cultures who like to roll out the red carpet for visitors."

Worf stood firmly behind Commander and Colonel with his arms folded in front of him. "I will believe it when I see it," he declared icily. "Not before."

Turning with a shake of her head, Kira gave him a light shove. "At ease Lieutenant-Commander," she told him firmly. "You'd think we had just received a message from the Jem'Hadar. Honestly, your paranoia runs too deep sometimes."

Riker chuckled. "I've tried to tell him to lighten up for years," he reminded them. "It's nice to see that it isn't me… even a prolonged assignment on DS9 couldn't brighten those dark moods of his." Returning his attention to the helm, he glanced at the coordinates as transmitted to them and then began a slow, controlled descent into Yadera Prime's atmosphere.

* * *

The Yaderan people turned out to be as friendly and outgoing as Odo and Jadzia had initially reported after their encounter with the refugee Rurigan on his 'colony' world. Although that city was populated by a holograms, these people were real and it was clear right from the _Yellowjacket_'s first flight over the capital city that the population had – until very recently – been an oppressed one. The city itself was very modern looking, but many of its taller, prestigious buildings were charred ruins that had quite obviously been obliterated from orbital attacks. From above they could see that the streets were structured into very familiar, ordinary block-like neighborhoods, with roads dedicated to land vehicle travel neatly dividing them. 

Additionally, Commander Riker noticed five Jem'Hadar attack cruisers parked at the spaceport that they were routed to. Three of the Dominion vessels were severely damaged and had obviously been gutted by fire in some sort of rebellious, ground based attack. The other two appeared undamaged and – based on a speedy sensor scan – Colonel Kira was able to confirm that they were deserted. From all that they were able to determine on the journey inward, there was no other Dominion activity within the solar system. With no further cause for concern, Riker piloted the _Yellowjacket_ expertly over the cluttered spaceport until he found a large, empty spot. Backing off gradually on power to the maneuvering thrusters, he settled the lengthy runabout into a comfortable landing position next to several large cargo vessels.

There were several people waiting for them when the three Starfleet representatives disembarked. Worf planted his feet firmly on the ground and immediately began scouting the area, sizing up the local people and their spaceport. "Take it easy big fella," Riker whispered softly as they moved toward the welcome committee. "No interstellar incidents this time, please."

The Klingon growled at the joke and hovered protectively behind the other two as the Yaderan officials smiled and bowed with respect. They too wore the traditional white robes of their people, with the familiar beaded necklaces ringing their necks and dangling from the hats of the men. The one woman among the four Yaderans wore her long, graying hair in a tight twist at the back of her head. A trio of decorative spikes poked through it in a unique, simple feminine display that was very popular within her gender. Other females passing by wore their hair similarly, although some wore considerably more of the lancets piercing the bun.

"I am Tharrien, Chief Appellate of our world's government," said the woman, gesturing first to herself and then to the leader of her colleagues. "And this is Polius, head of our religious order, along with his two assistants. We here on Yadera Prime wish to welcome you very warmly to our world. Thanks primarily to your government and its allied forces, the future of our world will once again hold great prosperity for all of its citizens."

They bowed again, an act which Riker and Kira immediately mirrored. Worf held his tongue and also managed to bow slightly, although it was hard to tell from his tall muscular frame whether or not he truly inclined his head or simply bent a little at the knees. As Riker stepped forward and began introducing himself and his own colleagues, the Colonel leaned back and smiled at Worf with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Diplomacy doesn't appear to be your favorite activity," she whispered softly. "It's a good thing you're not a part time Ambassador…"

The large Klingon moved forward to offer his own greetings to the Yaderans, and his elbow accidentally brushed Kira as he passed by her. She smiled and said nothing, knowing that he would probably have words with her later. The important thing was that she had broken through the intensity of his determined gaze and reached the man within. "It is good to meet you," she heard him say, and his sincerity made her feel better. Perhaps he had accepted the fact that these people were friends, but with Worf only time would tell.

Tharrien and her associates led the three officers from the _Yellowjacket_ and the landing strip farther into the city, where they boarded a large, van shaped ground vehicle. They took a short fifteen minute ride away from the spaceport and traveled deeper into the city, passing through several decaying, ramshackle neighborhoods as they did so. Along the curbed sidewalks in front of each block of homes, Riker noticed emergency vehicles parked everywhere. Uniformed citizens – obviously the people who manned them – stood guard as their colleagues distributed food, bottled water and other supplies to the residents.

The Colonel glanced with concern at Riker and he noted the look with a nod. "If your people are in need of food and medicine…" he began.

"I assure you, we are _fine_ now Commander," stated Polius firmly. He was sitting in the seat across from Riker and watched his expression thoughtfully. "The collapse of the Dominion has allowed us to renew our trading agreements with other worlds. Without their occupying forces and restrictive laws to limit our commerce, we are quite capable of doing business with other governments in this region and trading for what we need. It will take time, but Yadera Prime will someday soon prosper as it once did in the days before the Jem'Hadar came."

Tharrien nodded in agreement. "You have come here on a mission for your own people," she reminded him. "Do not lose sight of that. Despite the devastation in the city and how our world may appear to you, my people are very optimistic these days, more so than they have been for my entire lifetime."

The Commander took a deep breath. "We _have_ come here… for information," he acknowledged. "We are hoping desperately that it was your people who discovered one of our lost starships on a planet in a solar system near here."

The Chief Appellate of Yadera Prime held up all five fingers on her right hand and a single index finger from her left. "A system of six planets?" she asked curiously, watching Riker nod in response. "We did indeed find your starship," she told him with a smile. "Polius knows the full story, so I'll let him fill you in on the details."

"Do you know anything about what happened to the ship – particularly its crew?" asked Kira. "It appeared to us that there were survivors from the crash."

"Indeed there _were_ survivors," nodded Polius, the fingers of both hands folded together in front of him and resting on his lap. "Many years ago, your starship appeared suddenly in our space, seemingly from out of nowhere. It was damaged but still warp-capable, and passed within scanning range of one of the few freighter convoys that the Jem'Hadar permitted us to keep flying during their long stay on our world. At that time all Yaderans were kept practically starving, and we were also in constant need of water and medical supplies. Since the Dominion stripped our world of much of its resources and taxed us quite heavily, every freighter group that was allowed to do business with other worlds was a vitally important mission to us."

"But there _were_ survivors from _Columbia_," Kira prompted curiously.

"Oh yes," Polius agreed, his mood growing sour as he glanced uncomfortably toward his feet. "Seventy-three Starfleet crewmen and women survived _Columbia_'s crash on that planet. When our fleet of merchant vessels spotted the strange, alien ship going down we knew immediately that it wouldn't be long before the Dominion investigated the incident. One of our Captains launched a shuttle to investigate, and its pilot brought back Captain Hernandez and one of her officers. The convoy detoured long enough to pick up the rest of the crew before returning with them to Yadera. We knew the Jem'Hadar would interrogate and torture them if they were discovered, so we gave them safe harbor here on our world until the day they died."

Riker felt his heart sink. "None of them are still alive?" He had been hoping against hope that _somehow_… but it was apparently not to be.

"I am afraid not," continued Polius, his expression filled with grief. "Somewhere along the course that brought _Columbia_ to the Gamma Quadrant, the ship passed through a radiation field strong enough to overcome its hull and defensive systems. Everyone on board was unprotected and exposed to a lethal dose of that radiation. Although many of my people have great expertise in the field of medicine, we simply didn't have the supplies needed for a complete cure. Even so we did the very best that we could to care for them. Most of _Columbia_'s survivors lived five years or longer, and the last of them – Sheila Wakefield – survived for more than eight of your Earth years."

The look on Tharrien's face was also a mournful one. "We did the best that we could," she told them. "Everything that was within our power to do, we did for them. We provided your people with a safe haven from the Dominion – the Jem'Hadar never discovered that they were here, even with all of their garrisons stationed here. We had hoped that their soldiers would find the six graves on that distant planet and believe that a skeleton crew had piloted the ship down to its final resting place. If the Dominion's soldiers ever suspected otherwise, we will never know now. But fortunately for us, any follow up investigation that they conducted never led them here."

Worf's attitude had changed noticeably. "It sounds as though you _protected_ the crew of _Columbia_ at great risk to your own lives for many years," he observed. "That is a very courageous and honorable act of heroism… Starfleet owes your people a great debt of gratitude."

"If so, then it is a debt that you have already repaid many times over," responded Polius, his mood lightening again. "For years we heard many stories about the Federation and its Starfleet of ships as told to us by Captain Erika Hernandez, but it wasn't until the Bajoran wormhole first opened that we actually believed that our government would ever formally meet yours. By then the Captain and her crew had all perished from their radiation sickness, and over the next few years we discovered that she was not lying when she talked about the courage and integrity of your people. Until Starfleet came along, no one ever successfully stood up to the Dominion… certainly not in the way that your government did."

"Violent wars come with a heavy toll," noted Riker. "Our people, like yours, are still recovering. Almost everybody lost loved ones during the fighting or knows someone who did. We prefer to explore space and open friendly negotiations with new races, but that is not always how other cultures see things. Unfortunately, some of them interpret offers of friendship or a willingness to talk diplomatically as signs of weakness."

The land vehicle had left the residential neighborhoods behind and moved closer to the edge of the city. In the distance they could see a large cathedral standing tall, its highest spires reaching at least eight stories in height. "The remains of your people are there," said Polius, pointing toward the building as they continued moving toward it. "All of them left behind journals that they created during the years that they survived, chronicling their adventures for you and their surviving descendants to read. And all but one wished to be cremated and someday returned to Earth once contact with your Federation was established."

As the van continued heading in the general direction of the cathedral, they passed by a large apartment complex that appeared at first glance to be completely new. "Your people _helped_ us build that for the homeless in our community," Tharrien commented, pointing to the structure. "They insisted on keeping themselves busy; insisted on giving back something to the city that had granted them sanctuary. Despite their frequent need for medication, the Captain and her people insisted on accepting only an _equal_ share of the supply we were rationing among our own injured civilians. On many days, they endured a great deal of pain as their sickness worsened and they tried to go without… unfortunately we were never able to talk sense into them."

"Some of us found ways to get them the extra medication they needed anyhow, despite their repeated protests," said Polius as he fondly remembered those earlier times. "Our sacred meals, as offered upon conclusion of weekly services by themselves are quite good for the soul, but even more so when the food is spiked with a patient's prescription." He winked at the Commander. "Sometimes, the stubborn can be convinced to cooperate, and on other occasions they must be saved from their own short-sightedness."

Riker thought about the revelations for a moment. "What about the graves back on Benini Five?" he asked. "Was it your people who placed the stone marker there… the one with a map of this star system?"

Tharrien nodded. "Yes," she confirmed for him. "After the war concluded, the Dominion fell apart and their hold on our world finally faded for good. But there are still very dangerous Jem'Hadar task forces lingering in the area, attacking any ships they come across. We have had to reach out very gradually and cautiously to other worlds, using remote or isolated areas containing nebulas and other environmental phenomena to move our cargo ships through in secret. The system where _Columbia_ crashed is near enough, however, that we dared to send another shuttle back. We ordered its pilot to plant the marker, knowing that the drug-starved Jem'Hadar would never be able to interpret its meaning. Many members of our government wanted to risk contacting you directly, but in the end we were too afraid of drawing the attention of Dominion forces back to our world. I am sorry for that."

"We knew _your_ people would eventually visit the crash site and find the stone and its message. We left you directions to our world in the only way that we dared," agreed Polius. "Captain Hernandez predicted that your people would find a way to cross the galaxy some day. She also made certain that all of her crew used the time remaining to them productively. Almost all of them recorded memoirs for you to read, along with their last wishes." His eyes met Riker's reluctantly. "Commander Strong wants to stay in the Gamma Quadrant, on that planet where they crashed. He was the only one to make that request… the only one who doesn't want his remains returned to Earth. He was an explorer to the end, and told Captain Hernandez before he died that he wants to rest in peace where his journey through life led him… at the end of his trail."

Riker smiled a bit regretfully. "He sounds a lot like me," he admitted. "I'm admittedly a pretty devoted explorer myself."

Their van finally pulled up next to the tall, majestically built stone cathedral and slowed to a halt. The white from the stone marble used to build it was even brighter than the robes of the Yaderan people. All of them emerged from the vehicle and stood quietly for a few minutes, studying the monumental structure and admiring the workmanship.

"Come inside and let us properly welcome you to this world that your people have liberated," suggested Polius. "Then we will take you down into our memorial chamber so that you can say a few words to your lost comrades. After that, we will show you where we have safely stored their remains. Once you are satisfied that everything is in order, you are free to take them back to your people with our full support and blessing. May the thanks of _all_ Yaderans travel with you… the military crewmen aboard your starships are truly the product of a remarkable people."

Riker blushed a bit at the high praise. "Our people have always been peaceful explorers," he explained. "We fight when we need to defend our citizens, and more often than not as a last resort. Your world and our own Federation of planets have a lot in common with each other. I expect that diplomatic parties from both our cultures will meet again."

* * *

Several hours later the _Yellowjacket_ soared back into orbit, with Riker manning the helm and thinking silent thoughts as he flew the small runabout back into space. "The Yaderans protected Captain Hernandez and her crew from the Dominion all those years… the whole thing is still hard to believe. The Jem'Hadar never even knew they were down there," he commented with a shake of his head. "What a remarkable achievement by the Yaderan people." 

"_Columbia_'s crew was hidden in a Church," pointed out Kira. "Occupying forces, particularly Cardassian and Jem'Hadar, have traditionally never even seen the inside of one unless they were tearing it apart. But I agree with you Commander, the Yaderans are obviously decent and honest people."

Riker nodded. "Now they're also a _free_ people," he said with a great deal of satisfaction. "There are a lot of worlds in the Gamma Quadrant whose governments may need a little nudge here or there, but I have high hopes for this part of the galaxy again. Now if only Captain Janeway and her crew could reshape the Delta Quadrant similarly, everything in our fair galaxy would just about be perfect."

"_Perfect?_" Worf looked sharply at Riker in an attempt to determine if he was serious. "Do you _know_ how many unstable governments there still are, just in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants?"

Riker aimed the _Yellowjacket_ back toward the Benini star system and activated warp drive. The ship quickly accelerated to faster-than-light velocity and leaped toward the stars. "Yes I do," he sighed. "I was just trying to be optimistic, that's all."

The Klingon harrumphed at his response. "I find your optimism to be slightly out of phase with reality Commander."

Colonel Kira shook her head at the usual disagreeable exchange between the two, chuckling with amusement at their adversarial conversation. Those who didn't know them well enough would think that they were blood enemies. "For what it's worth, before we travel too far I would very much like to send Tharrien one last message letting her know about Rurigan and his holographic colony," she decided. "I'd like to include coordinates so that they can send a shuttle to contact him. Who knows… now that the Dominion threat has ended perhaps he will want to come home to his own world. He can always bring his holographic projector with him."

"By all means do so," Riker agreed, waving her over to the empty pilot's seat next to him so that she could access their subspace transceiver. "I hope this Rurigan fellow does decide to return to his home planet. It definitely sounds like he needs some closure, at least where the Dominion is concerned." He glanced back at their cargo, the carefully preserved remains of _Columbia_'s crew, which had been delivered to them as promised by the Yaderan people. "This fine day, some of our own lost heroes finally get to go home too."

* * *

_**Author's Notes: **_General Douglas MacArthur's "Thayer Award" acceptance speech "Duty, Honor, Country", presented on May 12, 1962 at West Point in NY inspired much of the emotional core of this Chapter, including its name! 

To read or listen to the speech, visit the top 100 speeches section of "AmericanRhetoric" dot com…

Also, once again I have to offer thanks to all those who have taken time to provide feedback as this story progresses. This includes the effervescent, ever-present Le'letha, whose insight into the characters of B'Elanna Torres and Icheb (in particular) inspired the Delta Quadrant section of this Chapter.

Hold on tight! The ride gets wilder from here on!


	17. Regime Change

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter XVI: Regime Change**

* * *

Delta Quadrant, starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54951.8:

* * *

Main Entry: **cat·a·lyst**

Pronunciation: 'ka-t&-l&st'

Function: _noun_

**1** : a substance that enables a chemical reaction to proceed at a usually faster rate or under different conditions (as at a lower temperature) than otherwise possible

**2** : _an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action_

* * *

Governor Villip Ruksin stood proudly next to his wife Tyliyla as they both watched the busily working Starfleet officers in _Voyager_'s shuttle bay. His thoughts were still overrun by second thoughts about what he had done, and the continually expanding consequences of his actions continued to unfold and magnify with each passing day. In defying the will of the Vryke and the orders of the Rafalian Prime Magnate, Governor Ruksin had undeniably isolated himself from the rest of his people. To make matters worse, his family's safety was now in great jeopardy – as evidenced by the Vryke's attempt to kill them during their initial flight from the home world. Captain Janeway had pledged to make certain they were taken to safety during the upcoming confrontation with his people, but that was a temporary solution at best. 

_Where would they be in ten or more seasons?_

_In twenty?_

"Relax Governor," said Commander Chakotay, slapping him firmly on the shoulder. "On this ship, my colleagues and I have all trusted Harry Kim with our lives at one time or another over the years. I assure you, with Data along for the ride the journey to Yukshaan _will_ be a successful one. Your family will be safe."

The sturdy shape of the _Delta Flyer_ loomed in front of them, and Ruksin's three boys excitedly climbed aboard the heavily reinforced, short range shuttle and promptly began running around as they explored the sleek vessel's interior. Excited shouts emerged from inside as they first investigated the cockpit area and then moved back into the spacious aft compartment. The children had already said goodbye to their parents, with Veliana being the only one who had voiced any doubts about the reasoning behind their departure. Like Icheb and Naomi Wildman, Ruksin's daughter was hesitant to part from her parents during a crisis. "_What if we never see each other again?_" she had asked, worry and doubt clouding her features. Her father had hugged her and calmly assured her that the worst almost never came to pass. Inwardly he sincerely hoped that he was not lying to his daughter.

Now the outwardly cheerful Governor turned gently toward his wife, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You can still go too dear," he told her firmly. "It would make me feel a lot better minimizing the number of civilians on board… probably Captain Janeway too."

"I'm sure it would," his wife responded, giving him a reproachful look. "But leaving you behind would worry me to tears." She met his gaze forcefully. "I'm not leaving you Villip, so just let that particular subject go right here and now."

Next to the pair, Ensign Samantha Wildman leaned down to hug Naomi goodbye. "Stay safe honey," she said with a warm smile. "We'll see you again soon."

Naomi glanced back up at her with her wide bright eyes. "Usually it's _you_ who goes on the away missions and _I'm_ the one who does all of the worrying until you come back," she pointed out. "But I'm still going to be worried about _all_ of you this time, even though I'm the one who's leaving." Her expression was extremely saddened. "Be careful Mom. Make sure the Captain and all of the others on _Voyager_ are careful too."

Samantha smiled and laughed. "Everything will be fine Naomi," she decided. "_Voyager_ is one tough starship… you know that. And she's got the best Captain in the Delta Quadrant!"

Icheb put an arm around the younger Wildman and helped her board the _Flyer_. The young Brunali male looked back just once; long enough to glance confidently at Samantha as Harry Kim began closing the open hatchway in preparation for takeoff. Several members of Tuvok's security team began ushering the small crowd of curious onlookers that had gathered to watch the departure back and away from the shuttle as its maneuvering thrusters roared to life. Everyone waved while Commander Data piloted the small vessel expertly off of the hangar floor, past the open shuttle bay door and through its protective forcefield. Seconds later the _Delta Flyer_ was gone, well on its way to meet General Skellan en route to the Yukshaan home world.

Chakotay waited patiently for a moment and then nodded to Ruksin. "Are you ready Governor?" he asked curiously, watching the Rafalian's reaction curiously.

"As ready as I'll ever be," the Damoklis city leader replied. "Let's get to work… I've pretty much finalized what I want to say tonight and the activity will take my mind off of my children." He looked back in the direction of the shuttle departure wistfully. "At least for awhile, anyway."

* * *

On board the _Delta Flyer_, Harry Kim took a seat at the starboard support station behind Commander Data as the small vessel sped rapidly away from _Voyager_. He studied the incoming sensor data carefully, noting that a majority of the area surrounding Rafali Prime was still very heavily saturated with Vryke energy particles. "This doesn't look good at all Commander," he observed. "Our electrostatic shield is on-line, but we won't be able to cloak until we clear all of this interference." He checked additional console readouts and discovered additional cause for concern. "We can't generate a stable warp field within this mess, either." 

"Captain Janeway is aware of the situation," noted Data. "I have plotted a course through the thinnest part of the cloud surrounding the home world. Once we are beyond it, we can change course directly for the Yukshaan system. Please run a scan for enemy starships… those will present the greater threat to us until the Vryke reenters this system."

"Voyager _to_ Delta Flyer, _come in please…_" Janeway's voice was electronically distorted and difficult to understand, even across so short a distance. The highly charged cloud of energy particles surrounding them continued to disrupt even local communications.

Data touched the subspace transmitter controls lightly. "_Go ahead_ Voyager," he replied, continuing to monitor the helm information as he accepted the incoming signal.

There was a pause as the Captain ordered Harry's replacement at Ops to fine-tune the transmission linking the two ships, clearing up the sound of her voice. Kim used the spare moment to glance toward Icheb, noticing that the young man had seated himself at the port science station and was running detailed sensor scans of his own. _If anyone was ever born to be in Starfleet, Icheb would certainly qualify,_ he thought quietly to himself.

"_We've just finished the final computer simulations on B'Elanna's latest prototype_," Janeway reported. "_We're confident that the planetary anti-Vryke system will function as designed once we attach it to an adequate power source. I am therefore transmitting the schematics to you now, before we lose contact with you. After you reach the Yukshaan fleet, you are ordered to use the _Flyer'_s replicator resources to assist General Skellan's people in building additional copies of this device for use by all of the other worlds in the Trade Coalition. That will be your top priority _after_ you rendezvous with his fleet and your passengers are safely delivered_."

"Acknowledged Captain," replied Data briskly as he continued to adjust their course. The _Flyer_'s hull shuddered as they passed through a particularly dense field of energy particles, but the unexpected burst of turbulence quickly faded and their course once again steadied.

Kim checked the results of his sensor scan. "There are no enemy ships between us and our course out of this system," he noted with satisfaction. "We will, however, pass close to several other planets before leaving the Rafalians behind completely… including a huge gas giant."

"_The safety of your passengers remains your top priority_." The tone in Janeway's voice was particularly emphatic regarding that point. "_Take no unnecessary chances_."

Harry grinned in response to her familiar, concerned motherly tone of voice. She had truly become the matriarch of their Delta Quadrant _Voyager_ family. "I wish you could make the same promise," he noted with amusement. "Captain, I must confess to being very curious as to what you and the crew are planning to do next. Care to share any details with us?"

"_We've got some serious work left to do_," she responded briskly. "_Commander Chakotay and I are planning to create a distraction on Rafali Prime to divert attention away from _Voyager_. That should give B'Elanna and the engineering team the time they need to deploy the planetary anti-Vryke shield. After that, I see no alternative but to confront the creature again... this time though, we will fight it on our terms._"

"I'm sorry we have to miss that party." Both Kim and Icheb exchanged a silent, regretful look of understanding.

"_You have your own assignment and responsibilities in this matter, Ensign. Keep in constant contact with us as long as the interference remains low enough to allow for two-way communication. After that, steer clear of anything that looks even remotely dangerous. Janeway out_." The transmission terminated and all eight of them were suddenly alone with their thoughts.

For awhile only the soft rumble of the _Delta Flyer_'s impulse engines broke up the silence, and Icheb found himself growing restless as scan after scan returned nothing but empty space ahead of them. Finally, he got up and moved back to the aft compartment, noting that even the children were surprisingly quiet.

"All right," he said softly to them. "If you promise not to touch any of the controls and stay to the rear of the cockpit, you can come up with me and look out the windows." Eagerly the boys poured past him toward the access hatchway, while Naomi and Veliana watched the boys rush forward with a shake of their heads. The two girls were having a quiet conversation and chose to remain, for the moment, where they were. Returning to the front of the vessel, Icheb noticed all three boys staring out the side windows, totally transfixed by the bright, glittering stars scattered throughout the distant space beyond.

_Not everyone gets to fly in space all the time_, he reminded himself as he took a moment to admire the magnificent view for himself.

* * *

An hour later Captain Janeway found Chakotay on the bridge, busily making certain that the Rafalian starships in the area maintained a respectful distance from _Voyager_. Although they were similar to the Yukshaan vessels and fully warp capable, the combined might of the entire Rafalian fleet could not hope to stand up against the Federation starship's advanced firepower. The other Captains had already been warned by the Commander and were holding their ships back, stalling for time while they tried to figure out a way to gain the upper hand. 

The warning had been crystal clear, and none of the vessels in the assembled fleet had dared to try an attack run on the _Delta Flyer_ during its departure. Commander Data had fired off several shots from the phaser array, demonstrating to everyone watching that the sturdy shuttlecraft possessed some powerful armaments of its own. Janeway also knew from a review of _Voyager_'s tactical scans that the Rafalian starships could not hope to match the _Flyer_'s speed, be it impulse or warp drive. The enemy vessels quite simply were not fast enough.

The Rafalian Captains had no choice but to ordering the large fleet of starships to circle the home world, at a high altitude well beyond the orbit of its outer moon. Like a sea full of sharks they formed a perimeter, circling their own planet but not daring to approach it too closely while _Voyager_ remained in the area. Already, one of the ships had moved closer and tested Chakotay's patience. That Captain's vessel was currently adrift, having lost both of its warp nacelles during the attempt. Since then the remaining Rafalian starships continued their long-range orbit while they watched, content to wait for Janeway's next move.

"Has our growing audience of ships behaved appropriately?" asked Janeway curtly as Chakotay offered her the center seat and moved swiftly to his normal one.

"For the most part," he replied. "The vessel that decided to test us is currently busy launching escape pods… I don't think their engine systems were able to recover from the loss of both nacelles." He frowned as he spoke the words. "However, the longer we stay here the more likely it is that they will team up and try to surprise us."

The Captain nodded in full agreement. "That's why we have to make certain we take advantage of the time remaining to us." She glanced at the viewscreen and its image of one of the Rafali starships. "I've just finished consulting with Admiral Paris and Starfleet has approved our plan to deal with the religious uprising on Rafali Prime. All traces of the Vryke's influence are to be removed from their culture as quickly as possible… including the creature itself. The Admiral stated that if the Vryke continues to be hostile, Starfleet Command wants it dead. I'm willing to give the Doctor's option a try, but if it doesn't work we're going to have to be prepared to act while we have the opportunity. There's no telling how large that thing can get, or how powerful its capabilities could eventually become."

Her First Officer nodded and rose to his feet. "I'll contact Governor Ruksin and have him begin preparations for his return to Rafali Prime. He has been fully briefed on our plan and has agreed to cooperate with us. I'll implement our timetable and then beam him back to the surface. Seven and I can coordinate everything occurring after that directly from Astrometrics."

"I'll hold you to that Commander," Janeway decided, pointing an index finger at him. "The Vryke's vessel will reenter the Rafalian star system in less than two hours. Long range scans currently show no sign of the other three captured Yukshaan starships. If they decide to show up suddenly, then that enemy fleet out there will feel much more confident taking us on with the advanced weaponry aboard those vessels at their disposal. In the event that happens we're going to have to abort all activity on the surface and protect _Voyager_."

"Using the Yukshaan vessels would be a mistake," Chakotay predicted. "Based on General Skellan's intelligence, the Rafalian crews on those ships haven't had the necessary time to familiarize themselves with all of the necessary safety protocols. They're just as likely to blow themselves up if they attempt to shoot any of their missiles at _Voyager_."

The Captain shrugged. "As far as I'm concerned, turning the tide of public opinion on Rafali Prime is your show from this point on," she stated confidently. "Just be prepared to beam Ruksin out of there on short notice if the Rafalian fleet decides to force us into combat."

"Good enough. If everything goes as planned, then Ruksin has indicated that he may choose to stay on the surface. Regardless of the outcome, I'll make sure our people are back on board in ninety minutes." Chakotay smiled reassuringly at her, just before vanishing into the turbolift.

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Damoklis City, Stardate 54951.9:

* * *

Hallis Jatt nervously made his third frantic search through the back chambers of the Temple Of The People, confirming a suspicion that had been gnawing inside of him since mid-afternoon. Jatt was a Minister of the Highest Order, one of the Prime Magnate's most trusted advisors. As such he had complete access to the Temple chambers and the surrounding grounds… yet somehow he could find absolutely no trace of Derryn Akseth. _The man had somehow managed to vanish without a trace, right before one of his biggest sermons of the season!_

Completing the latest exploration of the office area and personal chambers unsuccessfully, Jatt returned to the antechamber leading into the main speaking hall and peeked briefly around the corner, sizing up the growing audience outside. A huge, holiday-style crowd of Damoklis citizens had gathered for the evening sermon that was scheduled to begin in less than fifteen minutes. All of the pews were completely filled, most of them packed so tightly with people that the newest arrivals were standing at the rear of the auditorium, lining the corridors dividing the pews, and even climbing up into the normally unused balcony area. Very rarely did so many citizens attend a mid-week sermon such as this one, yet somehow the Prime Maganate's words lately had somehow electrified the population… it was as though they were drawn to his charismatic personality more than ever, hungering to hear more.

The Minister's eyes fell briefly on the glittering crystal Enumalis, and this time he managed to hold his gaze focused on the magnificent work of art. For some unknown reason in recent weekss he had been unable to look at it… the mere sight of the iconic symbol that defined their religion made his skin crawl and haunted his dreams. Tonight however that feeling had evaporated entirely, and he studied its beautiful facets carefully while trying to figure out what was different about it. A moment of silence passed as he stared at the orb before his thoughts began racing again. _He must find Akseth soon or else the burden of delivering tonight's sermon would fall directly on his shoulders_.

One of the soldiers in charge of securing the rear chambers appeared behind him and shrugged. "I have no idea where the Prime Magnate might be," he said with obvious, growing frustration. "We have searched everywhere your eminence – even outside. How could he have gotten off the grounds without any of us knowing about it?"

"_How?_" Hallis Jatt fixed a dark glare on the startled military officer. "Security is _your_ department, not mine. If anything has happened to the People's Most Revered Prime Magnate, then the wrath of the people shall fall directly on you. This I _promise _you." He extended a long, robed arm and pointed defiantly at the paling face of the man angrily.

Turning his back on the crowd in the central chamber, Jatt followed the soldier farther back inside the main Temple building. Abruptly they began to notice that it wasn't just the Prime Magnate who was missing… most of the Church staff and soldiers standing guard had also vanished, apparently into thin air.

"What is going on here?" the soldier asked, drawing his sidearm. "There were several dozen people working back here… I saw them with my own eyes less than two minutes ago!"

Immediately Jatt put a hand on his shoulder. "How _dare_ you draw a weapon _inside_ this Temple," he seethed in anger. "Someone might see you! Put it away _immediately_." He watched the man flinch at the reprimand, but he complied with the order to holster the weapon. Both of them retreated farther down the corridor, searching each of the side rooms along the way as they carefully checked each for signs of life. Even the doorway leading into the old, underground chambers below the main building now stood unguarded… it was a complete and total violation of the Prime Magnate's standing order for the soldiers to restrict access to everyone except the senior Ministers.

_We have prisoners down there!_

_Have they disappeared too?_

_Where has everyone gone?_

When he turned back toward the front of the chapel he discovered that the soldier he had just been speaking with had now vanished too. There was no trace of him anywhere. _None_.

Fighting back the urge to panic, Hallis Jatt returned to the front of the auditorium. Although the audience members were mostly silent in prayer, he could hear the soft whisper from dozens of voices as people waited for the evening service to begin. Peeking around the corner he confirmed what he already suspected, that a majority of the people from Damoklis City were present for tonight's ceremony. They would no doubt set a record for attendance, _yet the Prime Magnate, soldiers, and supporting Church staff had all vanished – apparently into thin air!_

At that point, the Minister mentally reached deep down inside of himself and grabbed hold of his out of control emotions. Then he returned to the Prime Magnate's private ceremonial chamber and chose the only option remaining to him. He began donning the formal robes of his order in preparation for services, doing so while mentally evaluating a variety of possible topics for discussion. When he was done he walked briskly toward the far end of the corridor and emerged onto the stadium in front of the audience. Holding center stage all by himself he began to speak.

"Good citizens of Damoklis City, _welcome!_" he began slowly, his eyes roving back and forth across the expectant faces in the massive crowd. "I pass along to you kind wishes from our Most Revered Prime Magnate, who is unable to attend this evening's services due to an unexpected illness…" A chorus of disappointed sighs cascaded throughout the audience at the unexpected announcement, but that was the extent of their disapproval. For the most part, everyone remained silent and patiently continued listening to his words. "Over the past few months, our society has been evolving steadily toward positive change…"

Minister Jatt suddenly let out a yelp of surprise and staggered backward. Less than a meter from his right elbow, a glowing column of glittering energy had suddenly appeared, accompanied by an audible electronic hiss. The crowd gasped in awe as the shimmering light coalesced into the shape of a humanoid, rapidly solidifying into the frowning, familiar figure of Governor Villip Ruksin. Jatt stared at the Governor of Damoklis City, a man whom he had been informed would never again set foot on Rafali Prime, in complete and utter shock.

"Once you cross the threshold of truth and begin telling lies they get easier and easier to tell, do they not Minister Jatt?" asked Ruksin with a dark laugh. The Minister continued to stare at him in astonishment, noticing a bright gold badge affixed to the Governor's left breast. Ruksin also wore some sort of sophisticated looking hand weapon at his side, and his eyes were fixed on the Minister so intently that, despite his normal poise and self discipline in pressure situations, Jatt flinched in anger. He retreated still farther back toward the safety offered by the familiar back corridors at the rear of the Temple, then gathered together his courage and defiance.

"Who are _you_ to question me… _traitor?_" he snarled with barely contained fury. "You have betrayed your _own_ people… to the _Yukshaan!_"

Ruksin responded by pulling free the phaser at his side and pointing it at the Enumalis. He fired it directly into the crystalline orb, and the hot orange phaser beam dissolved the top part of the sculpture almost instantly. The bottom half of the large, globe-shaped symbol of the Rafalian faith quite literally melted under the heat generated by the phaser beam's intensity. Large rivulets of molten glass drained down the sides of the altar like beads of wax running down the sides of a candle. As Governor Ruksin clipped the weapon back into position along his belt, the majority of the crowd populating the large auditorium struggled to remain seated as everyone present watched the rapid-fire series of events with startled shouts of anger and gasps of awe. Seconds later, the people in the Temple sat or stood transfixed… in complete, stunned silence.

"What… have… _you done?_" Minister Jatt demanded finally, taking an angry step toward the Governor. Ruksin turned toward him and the look of rage and fierce determination on his face caused Jatt to stop in his tracks.

"Tonight I am liberating our people from the corruption that has burdened them without their knowledge for far too long now," the Governor shouted loudly, his deep voice resounding through the large chamber. "Over the past year the Enumalis has come to symbolize everything that is _wrong_ with our society, specifically the outward beauty that it projects to our people, all the while evil is permitted to crawl around inside of it. Never again will that be allowed to happen unchallenged."

Whispers of shock reverberated throughout the crowd, and those whispers gradually began to grow in crescendo as people began to turn to each other and openly react to the unexpected turn of events. Some in the pews rose to their feet, while many of the families at the head of the corridors dividing the limited seating tried in vain to back away to a safe distance. Many of them fought back panic when they realized that they were unable to move more than a few cautious steps. More people had continued to arrive as the ceremony had begun, and the auditorium was now completely packed with a full house of visitors.

The growing sounds of dissent in the audience continued to escalate, causing Ruksin hold up a hand for silence. When that didn't work he walked over to Minister Hallis Jatt and calmly removed the man's microphone. With its wires trailing behind him he moved back to the center of the stage and tapped it tentatively, several times. The whine of electronic feedback startled everyone into silence and the audience grew suddenly quiet again.

"That's better now, isn't it?" said Ruksin with an optimistic chuckle, his voice now completely audible throughout the entire auditorium. He stroked his chin thoughtfully with one hand as he decided best how to proceed next. "Believe me, I was as shocked as you all must be right now, the day I first discovered that our religious leaders were lying to us," he said sincerely, pointing to the smoldering remains of the Enumalis. "Derryn Akseth has worked very hard to blame our problems on the Yukshaan, when the truth of the matter is that so many of them are a result of corruption among our own citizens." He took a deep breath and cast a dark glare at Hallis Jatt. "But everyone hates a politician first, right?"

Several people in the crowd laughed snidely at the comment, but Ruskin abruptly cut them off by whirling sharply toward the sound of it.

"How many of you who regularly criticize and pass judgment on the politicians who make up our government have ever taken your turn _serving_ it?" he demanded sharply, pointing toward the spots in the crowd where he had heard the laughter originate. "The truth of the matter is that the political arena is a most difficult battlefield, and that – yes – some of those who serve are indeed corrupt." He paused just long enough to let his first sentences sink in before continuing. "But I am not one of those people… I am a man who has repeatedly fought to be a moderate my _entire_ career, someone who has at times felt utterly helpless while watching Derryn Akseth use the religious faithful of this world as a political tool to advance his own personal power base and that of the High Order of Ministers."

Murmurs of discontent rippled through the crowd, but for the moment Ruksin maintained hold of their attention. "The truth of the matter is that the real corruption lies right here," stated Ruksin as he waved a hand at the Temple surrounding them. "It is here among the very spiritual leaders we look toward in hopes of keeping us honest, leaders who are supposed to be teaching us about peace and truth and honesty and – most importantly – about love and compassion for one another."

Jatt could no longer restrain himself as his emotions raged to the surface, fully unchecked. "You filthy _liar!_" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

Ruksin stood calmly for a moment and let the Minister rant… to everyone watching Jatt looked extremely unstable. "You forget, Minister," he said finally, "that I too have attended most of the Prime Magnate's sermons in recent months… even though I refused to bring my children." He glanced curiously at the crowd. "And it has not been only me who has chosen to leave the young ones behind… many of _you_ also no longer allow your children to attend services, services that used to be entirely about _family_." This time he was greeted by many nods of assent. "What kind of spiritual leadership do we have in place if the very people whom we trust to guide us in developing our moral and spiritual values are _poison_ to our children? What kind of society are we creating that they will eventually take ownership of?"

A tall, thin-boned man in the second row stood up and pointed an accusing finger at the Governor. "The city news service has been reporting that _you_ have betrayed our people to the Yukshaan and have allied yourself with aliens. Is _that_ true, and if it's not then why did you run away from us?" He folded his arms and held his ground, waiting for a reply.

"It is _true_ that people very much like us aboard an alien starship have entered our system and offered their assistance to me in defending our people's best interests," responded Ruksin coolly. "What is _not_ true is that I have betrayed our people… I would give my life for the safety of the people that I lead and have almost done so on several occasions during this affair. I am risking my life just by being here _tonight_."

The same man pointed next toward Hallis Jatt. "The Minister claims that you're the traitor and you say he is. Who are we supposed to believe?" He held up his hands in puzzlement. "Pardon us everyday folks who have never served the people, Governor, if we aren't a little frustrated by all this. We don't completely know who to trust these days."

Ruksin smiled calmly while Jatt's face continued to redden. "You should trust your _own_ judgment of course, using the intelligence and common sense that our Father Creator gave as His great gift to each and every one of you."

"You _dare_ to speak the name of the Father Creator?" Jatt challenged him. "And this new blasphemy comes immediately after you have _destroyed_ the Enumalis… the very symbol of our people's faith?"

The Governor smiled, his confidence growing as Hallis Jatt continued to melt down emotionally. He suspected that the very sudden, unexpected disappearance of all of the Minister's colleagues probably had something to do with that.

"Of course I dare to speak his name… the Father Creator is both kind and just to the faithful, that much is written in all of our most sacred texts. Wickedness and treachery are to be punished, and it is not me who has sinned in these matters." Ruksin turned his back on Jatt and once again faced the audience. "I permitted my children to attend the Prime Magnate's sermons much longer than many of you would have…" he admitted. "I did so because I wanted them to see that _all_ of us – each and every one of us – is a mortal creature with flaws… even Derryn Akseth. We are _all_ susceptible to temptation, greed, and corruption. Every last one of us is, even those among us whom we trust with our most prestigious titles. The Prime Magnate has gradually been hooking himself into our political system, slowly but inexorably gaining allies within our government. Much of Damoklis City policy is currently defined by members of this Temple… by corrupt Ministers and a Prime Magnate who is brutal and completely lacking in the most basic fundamentals of our faith… compassion, for example."

Another man stood up in the second row next to the first man who had risen. "Where is your proof of this?" he asked angrily. "You are making some very bold accusations, but none of your claims can hope to stand unless they are substantiated with real, physical evidence."

The Governor nodded. "I agree with you," he told the man. "And I fully intend to back up each and every accusation that I have made before you leave the Temple this evening. But first I want you to all think carefully, each and every one of you. Think back to where you have been slowly and inexorably led during the past few months. When in the past has it _ever_ been our policy to capture Yukshaan starships without provocation, to look the other way while representatives of our world bomb innocent civilians on theirs, or to accuse our Trade partners of corruption and wickedness while many of our own leaders are just as guilty of the _same_ sins? _At what point did we cross the line and allow these things to become standard Rafalian policy… to become our new code of conduct toward our kind neighbors?_" He practically shouted the last sentence, and – amplified by the microphone he held – the words reverberated solidly throughout the auditorium chamber. For a moment, no one moved or spoke. But only for a moment.

"The Yukshaan have been aggressive towards us on many occasions…" spoke up a third man. "They have killed our people too."

"Name one occasion," said Ruksin coolly. "_One_."

The man stood awkwardly amidst the crowd for a moment, searching for words. "Well, not in recent history I guess," he admitted. "But their history is just as bloody as ours… some might argue that it is even more bloody."

"_Who_ is calling for attacks against innocent people right now? _Who_ has led unprovoked attacks against other sovereign governments on this occasion? It is _not_ the Yukshaan, it is the religious leader of Rafali Prime who has ordered these things to be carried out," pointed out Ruksin. The man who had declared that the Yukshaan were also violent glanced down at the floor for a few seconds and then quietly reseated himself. "If we seriously take a step back and consider all that has happened here, the truth of the matter is that we ourselves have behaved more like the devils that Derryn Akseth has accused the Yukshaan of being. Their people have shown massive restraint, have they not? The death of any of their civilians by our citizens or military soldiers is technically an _act of war_. There are many governments throughout their history that would have immediately used their superior military arsenal to wipe us out entirely, down to the last man, woman and child. But people like Akseth know that the Yukshaan have become more and more civilized in our modern society and now act responsibly. Thus he seeks to use their compassion against them. That kind of behavior is not honorable, there's absolutely nothing religious about it, and Akseth's definition of our faith, duties and obligations is certainly not bound to any religion that I want to be a part of."

Another member of the congregation stood. "Why do you attack our faith? Why have you destroyed the Enumalis tonight?"

"I do _not_ attack our faith," Ruksin snapped in reply. "I am trying to _save_ it, before people like Derryn Akseth spill so much blood that our Rafalian hands will never again rinse clean. The Enumalis has been our symbol in the past, but it is also a thing… a physical object. It is far less important to the Rafali people than the spark of life." As he spoke the last sentence he shifted the microphone to his left hand so that he could tap the Comm-badge with his right. "_Voyager_, I am ready," he stated simply.

He had barely spoken the words when Lt. Tuvok emerged from the rear of the Temple, leading a pair of disarmed Rafali soldiers. The Rafalians were carrying several large wooden crates and closely followed by three additional armed members of _Voyager_'s security team. At Tuvok's signal, they lowered the crates to the floor in front of the Governor and opened them.

"What is this?" someone new shouted, and the whispered murmurs of unrest at the sight of the alien visitors once again began to escalate. "What are you seeking to accomplish here?"

"With the assistance of the new friends that I have made from the starship _Voyager_, I am going to show you tonight just exactly _who_ and _what_ your People's Most Revered Prime Magnate has been allowed to become," declared Governor Ruksin fiercely. He pointed toward the large wooden boxes for emphasis. " Temple scripture and the Prime Magnate's personal policy forbid the consumption of alcohol except for one small sip at the conclusion of services, does it not?" He reached into one of the boxes and pulled out a large wine bottle. "These crates come from the personal stockpile in the back of this Temple, which is accessible only to the High Order of Ministers and the Prime Magnate himself." One by one he began tossing bottles into the audience. "Check out the labels on these bottles very carefully," the Governor suggested. "If Derryn Akseth is going to preach during his sermons for us to have the strength to abstain from drinking alcohol and then break that policy personally… well, then I would hope that he would at least begin drinking Rafali wine and not that of the Yukshaan.Feel free to keep these, there are several more cases stored in his personal chambers."

Hallis Jatt pointed at the crates and the bottles with his temper once again flaring out of control. "That wine is for use during services _only!_" he shouted angrily, running over to stand next to the crates. "_I tell you it is for use during services only!_"

"You yourself should be the last one to make that claim," decided Ruksin with a chuckle. "Too many of us have seen you stumbling through the Temple with red cheeks after a long night of toasting the Father Creator to believe that statement." As he spoke the words the crowd roared with laughter, and Hallis Jatt abruptly realized that he had indeed been observed on many occasions. Up until now, however, the intimidated members of the congregation had simply looked the other way and remained silent.

At the rear of the Temple, the Governor could see groups of reporters trying to push their way into the main audience chamber. The flashes from multiple cameras began to light up the room as they fanned out and worked their way amidst the audience in deliberate, organized attempts to get closer to the stage. Word was obviously already spreading throughout Damoklis City of the great speech that was taking place this evening… a speech delivered on this occasion by the Governor and _not_ the Prime Magnate. Someone had slipped out of Church and spilled the beans.

"The unprovoked attacks against the Yukshaan you already know about through our colleagues in the news," Ruksin continued, gesturing toward the flashing cameras behind the huge crowd. "Although many other stories have been quietly buried to protect those with a strangle hold on power, tonight's story will reveal all too well the truth of the matter." The Governor nodded at the crowd as he stood next to Lt. Tuvok. "The new, controversial policy of stationing military soldiers on Temple grounds you are also no doubt aware of." Ruksin chuckled, but his laugh this time was not an amused one. "I follow enough of the news myself to know that many of you became extremely concerned by the decision to put missiles and soldiers here. Up until now Akseth has held a majority of public opinion on his side and none have dared to oppose him."

Again Hallis Jatt tried to object. "You have _destroyed_ the Enumalis!" he shouted with growing despair, his emotional control collapsing rapidly. Everything he had witnessed this evening and every problem he had tried to resolve had instead grown consistently worse. And it had all begun with the mysterious disappearance of Derryn Akseth. After that, all of the other events of the evening had continued to topple one after the other, like dominoes. Hallis Jatt looked out at the angry faces of the crowd with a pleading look of innocence on his face. "For goodness sake, the Governor has brought aliens among us and fired a weapon in here tonight. _A weapon!_"

"Forgive me, oh Father Creator, for I have sinned," spoke Villip Ruksin confidently. "That is how we seek redemption for our transgressions, is it not?" He glanced at Tuvok with a confident nod. "If that is the case, _then I am not the only one this night who needs to speak those words_."

Four additional weaponless Rafali soldiers emerged from the rear chambers of the Temple, their hands firmly clenched together on top of their heads. Behind them an additional _Voyager_ security team followed, and the entire group spread out and formed a semicircle at the edge of the speaking platform. As they did so, Tuvok retreated a step and inconspicuously tapped his Comm-Badge. "Commander Chakotay," he said softly but clearly. "Have the Doctor and Tom Paris standing by; we have injured down here and will be transporting them aboard _Voyager_ momentarily."

"_Acknowledged. We're ready here and will route them to cargo bay one._"

Ruksin turned away from the soldiers and refocused his attention on the congregation. "Watch and learn what your kind, compassionate religious High Order of Ministers and Prime Magnate have secretly been doing behind closed doors and away from public scrutiny."

Additional camera flashes continued to sparkle briefly from various vantage points throughout the Temple as a disheveled, battered group of two dozen Yukshaan prisoners emerged from the same door that the Rafali soldiers had used to make their own entrance. Several of the men appeared drugged and struggled simply to walk, but all of them had obviously been severely tortured repeatedly with both physical and emotional violence. Many men had been repeatedly beaten or were missing eyes and fingers, and the majority of the injuries had been so poorly treated by their Rafali captors that most of them appeared to be in danger of infection.

All of the Yukshaan prisoners looked severely malnourished, and one of the men walked awkwardly as though ready to faint, his pallid expression frightful. The majority of those in the assembled crowd gasped with shock and anger as they noticed that he was missing his right arm from the elbow on down… the bloody stump had been poorly bandaged in a shoddy attempt at medical treatment. Last came two more of _Voyager_'s security team, each of them carrying an injured Yukshaan soldier. One of the men was missing his entire left leg, while the other was missing both legs from the knees down. It was a very sad sight for everyone to see, and Hallis Jatt literally cringed and then backed away from the unexpected sight of the captured prisoners of war who were now in full view of the public.

"Is _this_ how you want your government behaving… how you want your religious leaders behaving?" asked Villip Ruksin angrily. "Because I can assure you, as the months have progressed the line between government and religion has faded just as surely as these men have been tortured." He turned toward the Minister in acknowledgement. "Yes I fired a weapon in here tonight and destroyed the Enumalis," he admitted. "But you, Minister… you and the Prime Magnate have done far more damage to our reputation as Rafalians, and to our faith."

"_Why?_ Why would the Prime Magnate do this to those men?" the first man who had spoken asked. He had remained standing and was closely observing everything from his advantageous position near the front of the crowd. Behind him, the rapidly growing group of journalists struggled fiercely as they tried to move closer to the front row.

"Derryn Akseth has spoken often of crushing our enemies, of opposing anyone who does not believe as we do," the Governor shot back. "Historically that kind of policy has best been accomplished by dehumanizing the enemy, by making our citizens believe that others we don't like are somehow _less_ than we are." The shame on some of the Rafalian soldiers' faces as they stood helplessly with their hands on their heads was quite evident. Ruksin paused for a moment to closely study and memorize the angered hatred on the few he noticed who quite obviously felt no remorse. Those soldiers he would make certain were prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. They would be old and gray before they breathed free air again, if they did not first receive the death penalty. "I can assure you," he continued sternly, "that the Prime Magnate's stand regarding this matter is _not_ mine, and so long as I am Governor of this City we will not only bargain in good faith with the Trade Coalition, but also make full restitution for these crimes to the Yukshaan men standing wounded here tonight and to their families. We are _not_ barbarians!"

Several of the reporters and their camera crews finally succeeded in pushing their way through the crowd, close enough so that they could get decent pictures of what was taking place on stage. Tuvok waited one brief moment longer to be certain that they got several pictures of everything they needed to and then tactfully used his Comm-badge to contact Chakotay again. "We are ready Commander," he said. "Lock onto Ensign Kaplan's signal and energize with all targeting scanners set for the widest possible group pattern."

The injured Yukshaan prisoners, one of Tuvok's security teams, and the captured Rafalian soldiers within the semicircle on the right side of the stage vanished in the familiar electronic sparkle of a large transporter beam. "_They're in cargo bay one_," reported Chakotay. "_The Doctor will treat the injured, and you can personally interrogate the Rafalian soldiers once Ruksin completes his speech. They don't appear to be in a hurry to go anywhere_."

Tuvok nodded in response. "Understood Commander, we will maintain full security protocols until the Governor finishes his task here."

Ruksin's strange appearance from seemingly nowhere had been unexpected enough. At the sight of all of the soldiers vanishing in a sparkling flash of transporter energy, the entire crowd appeared to be on the verge of panic. Noticing the fear in their eyes and the reaction of those in the rows closest to the stage, the Governor held up a hand and motioned for silence. "There is _nothing_ to fear here," he promised them sincerely. "Only the _truth_ is being revealed here tonight. The prisoners have been teleported aboard the starship orbiting our planet. I assure you, there is nothing to be afraid of." Despite his words, it took several minutes before the crowd calmed down enough for the discussion to continue.

Taking advantage of the unexpected break in Ruksin's speech, another man stood up – this time someone who the Governor immediately recognized… one of his colleagues currently serving in the City Legislature. "Obviously a great deal has been going on without our knowledge," the councilman agreed. His expression was ashen from worry and his eyes flickered nervously back and forth as he studied the angry looks on the faces of the people seated around him. "But do not forget… our religious leaders are entitled to their full right to trial by jury, as would any of us be were we guilty of a crime. You cannot simply stand there and pass summary judgment upon them… our courts will need to conduct and investigation and gather evidence."

"Gretik Tann my old friend and city leader, I am so glad that _you_ in particular have chosen to bring up the subject of evidence, long-term investigations, and potential lawsuits against the State if we are too quick to prosecute. On this one occasion I have chosen to break through the red tape that would normally restrict our government and release classified information directly to the public. I do this so our good and honest citizens can make their own decisions regarding this most important matter… the stakes are that high. After all, those of us who take advantage of the public's trust, hide behind loopholes in our laws, or manipulate our system to achieve their own secret agenda should in turn receive no protection from that system. That is _my_ judgment on this matter and before this night is over, _everyone_ involved will be exposed… even _you_, old friend." Ruksin's eyes met Tuvok's, and the Lieutenant from _Voyager_ recognized the signal. Once again he contacted Chakotay with the order to energize.

The shimmering transporter beams appeared again, to the left of the Governor. This time, massive piles of documents and file folders materialized on the stage floor. There were dozens of stacks, most of which were heaped to Ruksin's waist... some even higher. "What do you mean with this display, Governor?" asked Gretik Tann with growing apprehension. His hands were shaking, and he his gaze flashed repeatedly back and forth, switching between Ruksin and the people next to him. All eyes were suddenly on him and he was clearly uncomfortable. "You can't just do this, you can't just seize classified documents because you have powerful friends…"

Ruksin chuckled. "I am a politician too Gretik, so I am familiar with how our system works and how to take advantage of it. The difference is that I choose _not_ to take advantage of it, even though I could. However, _someone_ ceded authority to Derryn Akseth, allowing the Temple authorities to take control of large segments of our military and _someone_ gave the order to grant him complete command of the armed militia on these grounds." The Governor pointed to the large stacks of documents surrounding him. "When we are finished here, all of you out there in the crowd who have participated in this nonsense are free to return to your offices and begin shredding incriminating documentation if you wish to further incriminate yourselves. But I assure you, the Prime Magnate and his supporting staff kept _TWO_ sets of books in this Temple… _and we already have obtained copies of everything we need to expose the truth_."

"You can't… _just… do…_" Tann stopped speaking in mid-sentence and began moving away from his chair, toward one of the corridors between pews. His attempt to make a hasty exit from the Temple ended suddenly as hands grabbed him from all sides and forced him back into his chair. Helplessly he sat there, noticeably intimidated, and doing his best to shrink down and away from the public scrutiny that he could no longer hide from.

"I think that you should stay and hear what the Governor has to say, _Tann_," growled a voice from behind him. One of the other council members loyal to Ruksin was seated there.

"Bribes, kickbacks… you name it and we've already found it for you," said Ruksin with a wide, confident smile. "The corruption ends here tonight, when the _PEOPLE_ of Damoklis City step forward to take back their Temple, Damoklis City, and this entire planet." He waved a hand at the large piles of documentation. "These are _your _copies… _all_ members of the public are welcome to remain after mass and review whatever you choose to. Additional copies of anything that unexpectedly vanishes can be accessed by contacting my office tomorrow morning. If you wish you are welcome to also visit the underground chambers and view the evidence of the torture that has taken place there. How long, I wonder, would it have been before Akseth's political enemies ended up down there? How long before he began killing his own people? Good people such as _you_ who simply have a different point of view!"

Ruksin walked to the edge of the stage and focused his eyes on individuals, his gaze moving back and forth between those he recognized. More than a few of them glanced away or looked down at their feet, ashamed and well aware that their underhanded activities would no longer remain secret. Since Gretik Tann's attempt to leave, no one else had even dared to try. Everyone was sitting quietly and patiently, waiting to learn more about just what had taken place for so long now… hidden beyond their scrutiny. Those who were guilty already suspected that their participation was included somewhere within the documentation on the stage, but there was nothing they could do any longer to keep it hidden.

"Do you remember the financial aid that the Yukshaan Trade Coalition offered us during times of crisis?" asked Ruksin curiously. "The aid they offered to us to help our people overcome floods and planet quakes and other natural disasters?" He didn't expect an answer, but there were several people who nodded in response to the question. "Do you remember how we _accepted_ some of that aid, and then the Trade Coalition unexpectedly stopped sending it to us after the first few years? Do you remember how Derryn Akseth immediately stepped forward and pointed a finger of blame at the Yukshaan and used that incident as proof of their bigotry and hatred toward the Rafali people?"

"_I remember!_" someone shouted from farther back in the audience. Additional shouts of assent were quickly added to his.

Ruksin picked up a bright red folder from the top of one of the stacks of office files. He held it up for everyone to see, waving it around. "_These_ are bank records," he informed everyone. "Would you like to know just how much of that money paid to us by the Yukshaan ended up in secret, confidential bank accounts? Would you also like to ask Derryn Akseth and his senior staff just _why_ the account numbers are somehow mysteriously known only to them?" Angrily he tossed the binder aside, watching it slide toward the feet of Hallis Jatt. "Those bank records also contain transfer records for funds deposited into the accounts of many of our city officials. Coincidentally, a great many of those officials are people who have repeatedly opposed moderate policies within our government in recent months."

Gretik Tann tried to scrunch lower in his seat, and from the expression on his face he looked as though he was about to pass out from extreme anxiety.

"I _love_ my government, and I _love_ my religion!" shouted Governor Villip Ruksin at the top of his lungs. "That is why I will no longer permit our leaders to torture others, teach racism to our children, and use both bribery and extortion tactics to manipulate our society! No longer will our society be hijacked by a dishonest few… _that corruption and extremism ends here my friends…_ _it ends here tonight!_" A few people began clapping lightly, accompanied by continued, gradually escalating shouts of anger from many individuals among the congregation. Seconds later, Ruksin watched in utter amazement as most of the people in front of him broke into a spontaneous, thunderous burst of applause. Again he watched the crowd carefully, picking out the faces of those men and women who tried to discreetly hide themselves from the entire affair. _What did they have to hide… what could they possibly be feeling guilty about?_ With any luck, each and every one of their illicit activities was contained somewhere within the Temple's confidential administrative office files.

Hallis Jatt had been content, up until this moment, to listen curiously as Governor Ruksin stood there in front of everyone and revealed all that he knew. Now he finally gathered together what was left of his courage, and – buoyed mostly by anger – he stepped forward and confronted the city leader. "You will _not_ succeed in what you hope to accomplish here tonight Governor!" he snarled at the top of his lungs. Even without the aid of the microphone held by Ruksin, everyone present could hear every word he spoke.

"I have already succeeded! The truth has been revealed Minister Jatt. What can you or the Prime Magnate possibly do any longer to stop me?" Ruksin carefully studied the enraged look on the other's face, having rarely witnessed such an open display of outright hatred.

"You don't know the _half_ of who and what you're dealing with," responded the Minister furiously. "You have no idea how badly you have hurt your own people tonight. Derryn Akseth has planned _everything_ out to the last detail… I hope you weren't foolish enough to believe that he would fail to _anticipate_ the possibility that someone might try to kill or abduct him. _He knew you would and he planned for everything, I tell you! Everything!_" Turning spitefully toward the crowd Hallis Jatt reached inside of his scarlet robes and pulled out a small metal device with a blinking green light on top. As he did so Lieutenant Tuvok and the _Voyager_ security team closed in behind him, their phasers out and held at the ready.

"What are you doing Hallis?" asked Ruksin firmly, his lips tightly pressed together as he watched the desperate, completely unhinged look of fear in the other's eyes. "What is that thing?"

The senior Minister ignored him and whirled to face the _Voyager_ team, his eyes flashing wild with uncontrolled emotion. "Don't come any closer… _any of you!_" he snarled, tapping a command into the small, handheld contraption. The flashing green lamp on the top immediately changed to a steady red. "I have armed it… _stay away from me or I will destroy us all!_"

Villip Ruksin dropped his hands to his sides and walked slowly, in a non-threatening manner toward the Minister. Pressed between the Governor and Tuvok's security team, Hallis Jatt's panicked expression continued to grow more and more radical. "_What are you going to do Hallis?_" demanded the Governor, placing his hands firmly on his hips and glaring scornfully at the out of control Minister.

"It's quite simple and _perfect_ for this situation really," cackled Jatt in response, holding the device protectively close to his chest as he turned back to face Ruksin. "The Prime Magnate gave me _orders_ to set off one of the anti-matter warheads that our soldiers placed at the rear of the Temple. It was his special order to the senior staff, in case he disappeared suddenly and the rest of us didn't know what else to do. The explosion from the missile will then detonate the other five warheads out there, and the combined explosion from those missiles will put an end to all of Damoklis City and a great deal of the surrounding territory. _Don't you see?_ All of the _witnesses_ you have created out there tonight and all of your _evidence_ will disappear in a bright flash of fiery destruction… tomorrow the rest of the cities on Rafali Prime will blame the Yukshaan for all of the deaths and we _will_ have war! The survivors of our world will rise up and fight them and we will _win!_ The Father Creator _himself_ has promised this to the Prime Magnate… _I have heard his voice with my own ears!_"

Tuvok turned a cautioning eye toward Ruksin. "Governor… _don't_…" he said in warning.

Ruksin leaped forward unexpectedly and grabbed Hallis Jatt fiercely by the collar. The Minister fought back angrily and the two of them locked together in combat and then fell to the floor as the entire seated portion of the crowd rose to their feet with astonished cries of anger and outrage. They rolled around for a moment and suddenly a red robed arm reached out of the tangle of bodies, holding the device high. "_I win!_" screamed Hallis Jatt in defiance, activating the device. "_What I do tonight I do for all our people!_"

Around them, the Temple walls rumbled in response to a huge explosion from somewhere behind the building. The lights and ceiling fans hanging down from the supporting rafters shook violently as the sound and shock wave from the explosion struck the outside walls…

…and then immediately began to fade as abruptly as it had started. From his prone position on the floor, Governor Ruksin kicked Hallis Jatt away from him and rose to his feet. Tears ran from his eyes and relieved laughter caused his entire body to tremble. For a moment uncontained emotions poured through his consciousness and he took several deep breaths, calming himself and the outrage burning inside of him. Even though he had known from the start how the confrontation would end, that there was no danger, there had always been a small seed of doubt inside his mind wondering curiously if the Vryke's plan to destroy their city would somehow conclude successfully.

_But it hadn't! At least tonight, here in the Temple Of The People, they had defeated the creature's plans once again!_

The huge crowd of spectators sat in complete shock at what they had just witnessed. The sound of a few crying babies was the only sound that could be heard coming from the back of the crowd filling the huge auditorium. Ruksin glanced briefly at the molten ruins of the once wondrous Enumalis, feeling the eerie, awkward moment of uncertainty while it lasted. Hallis Jatt lay where he had fallen and his body shuddered as he suddenly began crying uncontrollably.

"He just tried to kill us," someone in the crowd realized. "He just tried to kill us all!"

"The Minister just tried to destroy the entire city!" another man corrected him.

The Governor ignored Hallis Jatt, instead casting a very grateful look of thanks in the direction of Lieutenant Tuvok. The Vulcan nodded respectfully back at him and then held up his right hand, splitting the middle and ring fingers apart in the traditional symbol of his people. "May the people of Rafali Prime live long and prosper under your strong leadership, Governor Villip Ruksin. You understand moral values and the importance of compassion in any civilized society. It continues to be my great honor to know and work with you."

Ruksin smiled for the first time in a long while, and just like that his emotions surged and his confidence came back. Although his thoughts were still racing wildly at the speed with which events had unfolded, he had given emotional public speeches before and this one was no different. What _was_ different was that – right now, this very evening – he had more resources and technical support at his disposal than at any other time in his lengthy career. Obstacles that had seemed impossible to overcome had suddenly been defeated and cast aside before his very eyes. Taking a deep breath and pausing for a moment to regain his composure, he finally turned back to the crowd. As he did so he pointed at the trembling, sobbing form of Hallis Jatt on the floor.

"This man is no Minister of any Church I want to be a part of, and if there was every any doubt in your minds whatsoever about the veracity of my claims – well, Hallis Jatt's actions here tonight should put a speedy end to any of those remaining thoughts."

"Gretik Tann is correct," said one of the woman reporters, causing the man to panic and hide his head inside his jacket at the mention of his name. He tried to sink lower in his seat while all cameras immediately swerved toward him. Continued, multiple flashes of light continued to reveal just how many reporters had rushed to the Temple grounds after hearing about Ruksin's unexpected return. "There may truly be as much corruption within the leadership of our churches and government," the reporter continued, "but to out them in this manner… you sir also are breaking the law."

"I completely agree with you," Ruksin replied coolly. "I have spent many long hours these past few days in private mediation, weighing all possible options. Ultimately, I decided to commit a minor infraction to speed the process of change along and prevent additional _major_ infractions from taking place." He pointed toward the emotionally collapsed, still sobbing figure of Hallis Jatt. "As you have seen, there are people among us who want to kill their perceived enemies so badly that they would willingly murder their own people to initiate it. If Derryn Akseth wasn't obeyed completely and someone like me succeeded in taking him into custody, he left strict orders for Hallis Jatt and his colleagues to kill us all. That is truly the scheming of a madman, so I think my bending of the rules in this case will – in the end – prove justified."

"How did you manage to stop the bomb?" the reporter asked curiously. Two members of her camera crew stood just behind her, filming the entire conversation. Ruksin noted that his speech was quite probably over for the evening and that an unofficial press conference was only just beginning.

"My new friends… _our_ new friends from the starship _Voyager_ have assisted me throughout my entire ordeal. I could not have brought this murderous agenda into the public spotlight without their help. Our people will never be able to thank them enough for the lives they have saved this day. Everyone living in Damoklis City should be eternally grateful… were it not for their skills and technology we would _all_ have met a sudden, violent end to life on this world tonight."

The Governor waved a hand in thanks toward Tuvok and the security officers from the starship. Several Starfleet security men helped Jatt to his feet and were patiently guiding him toward the rear of the speaking platform and into the depths of the Temple corridors beyond. "You have no right…" he spat at them, but they ignored his complaints.

"Please remember… it is not our government or our religion that has betrayed us – I cannot emphasize that point enough. It is the _people_ we have trusted for far too long with leadership positions… people who have made their own bad choices, given in to sinful temptations and disappointed us all. No longer can the rest of us remain silent and let them run things. There is too much at stake… too many innocent lives."

Ruksin thought carefully about the words that he had just spoken. _Perhaps my speech making is not finished for the night after all_, he decided. Feeling more at ease and comfortable than he had in a very long time, the Governor pointed a finger toward the next reporter waving at him and continued doing his best to answer their growing number of questions.

* * *

Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres stood calmly on the surface of a small, remote island. It was one of several dozen located amongst a chain of small islands about fifty kilometers off the west coast of one of the larger continents on Rafali Prime. Between the large trio of mountains on one side of it and the thick, tropical jungle-like conditions covering the rest of its surface, the island was the ideal spot to conceal the central, primary generator for their planetary electrostatic shield. Through the edge of the tree line, she could see the cockpit of the shuttlecraft _Meriwether_ as it rested in the sand. Its systems were on standby, awaiting their return. 

_But it was hot here… very hot_.

_Voyager_'s Chief Engineer was very proud of her attitude today, since she had actually begun to accept some of the limitations that came with her pregnancy. After putting up the initial, necessary fuss to begin with, gradually Ensign Vorik and the rest of her team had convinced her to supervise their work while they assembled the final generator. The teams from _Voyager_'s other shuttlecraft had all reported in now, and each of the other smaller generators had been placed at equally strategic locations all over the planet. _Difficult to locate, impossible to sabotage_. That had become their unofficial motto while assembling each component in the shield network since Captain Janeway had ordered deployment to begin.

Her tricorder was humming lightly and, based on the data she read on its small screen, everything appeared to be on-line and functioning. This final generator was the key to the whole network, similar in size to the other units but requiring a large, dedicated power supply in order to operate successfully and distribute appropriate energy to the other linked components. Ensign Vorik had hooked up the newly constructed anti-matter assembly to the generator, and Torres nodded with satisfaction as her tricorder continued to measure the strength and range of the countermeasures they had put in place specifically to disrupt Vryke activity. The output was quite impressive even by her stringent standards, reaching far enough into orbit to deflect the Vryke's influence well away from the planet. Measurements reaching all the way to the horizon indicated that the other generators were also functional and doing their job.

Unexpectedly her communicator crackled to life. "_Tuvok to Lieutenant Torres. We are nearly finished here at the Temple… how is your own project progressing?_"

She tapped her Comm-badge lightly, continuing to study the tricorder's constantly updating display. "We completed using shuttlecraft to position shield generators as planned all over Rafali Prime a half hour ago," she replied, her voice crisp and clear in the humid, tropical air. "Ten minutes ago we activated the central processing unit and all indicators continue to read green. The whole network is on-line and functioning reliably, just as our computer models predicted it would. According to my tricorder, this entire planet is now Vryke proof; when the entity gets back I would think that it will be extremely angry once it discovers what we've done."

"_Indeed it should_," acknowledged Tuvok. "_Was the anti-matter from the missile warheads outside the Temple a sufficient source of energy for your new power supply?_"

"Actually, it's proving to be more than enough," Torres replied proudly. "Once we beamed the material out of those missiles, we just had to use a little caution adding it into the device Ensign Vorik built to contain it safely. So far, it looks like good old _Voyager_ know how and efficiency has saved the day again." B'Elanna chuckled with relief. "I love using one problem to solve another… it simplifies matters considerably, especially when I move a lot slower these days."

"_In this case, solving the missile problem averted certain catastrophe_," Tuvok told her. "_One of the Prime Magnate's devoted followers was prepared to blow up the entire capital city. He was able to use a remote control device to activate a detonator in one of the missile warheads, but fortunately there was no anti-matter present for the explosion to ignite. I continue to receive reports regarding a large fire out on the Temple grounds, but so far it is under control. If the saboteur had succeeded, everything we had planned for the safety of this region would likely have fallen apart. Instead, the Prime Magnate and his Order of Ministers have suffered yet another defeat… politically and very publicly_."

"Isn't that just too bad for them," decided Torres. "The Captain was right to make certain we disarmed those missiles as soon as possible. She understands the inner workings of the humanoid ego pretty well."

"_Indeed she does. The Vryke and the Prime Magnate have obviously conspired together, and included the destruction of Damoklis City as one of the options in their overall plan all along_."

She shook her head with dismay at the news. "What in the world could possibly drive a man to kill _that_ many people for fame and notoriety?" Glancing up at the bright blue sky above her and the puffy white clouds illuminated by bright sunshine her thoughts lightened a bit. "This Prime Magnate is turning out to be a pretty violent spiritual leader."

"You have no idea… earlier we transported the Yukshaan prisoners he tortured aboard _Voyager_ for treatment. With the Vryke to assist him, sooner or later I expect Akseth's political opponents would have begun vanishing as well."

Torres reviewed the final set of readings from her tricorder and nodded with approval. "We're done here Tuvok… our teams have set up and activated password controlled forcefields around the central generator at this location and also provided similar protection for all of the individual shield generators comprising the planetary network. There's no way the Vryke can poke its tendrils of influence through the defensive shield, and it should be some time before potential saboteurs on the surface manage to find a way through the forcefields around our equipment" She took a deep breath and smiled gratefully at the proven effectiveness of their design. "If you need backup in the city, I can assemble several of my teams and have everyone rendezvous with you at the Temple."

"_For now, I recommend that you stand by at your present location until I check in with Commander Chakotay and Seven of Nine. Governor Ruksin has paired me up with a man named Tyleb Ekken, head of this city's civilian police force. Chief Ekken's men and women remain loyal to the Governor and have so far cooperated quite efficiently in helping us disarm the soldiers outside of the Temple. We received word just before the Governor and I transported inside that the situation on the grounds outside was under control_."

"That's certainly good to hear, but I seriously doubt the Rafali militia gave up without a fight."

"_Many of them did initially resist our efforts to secure the grounds. Those who attempted violence were transported by Chakotay to a location roughly one hundred kilometers outside the city limits. By now they have probably discovered that they have a long walk back_."

B'Elanna laughed heartily at the news. "If we could only have recorded the looks on their faces" she decided. "Watching that would make this day complete. Very well, we'll stand by here until we hear orders to the contrary."

"_I will contact you after I report in to Commander Chakotay. Tuvok out_."

B'Elanna glanced first at the functioning shield generator and next to Ensign Vorik and the rest of her Engineering team. Vorik raised a Vulcan eyebrow at the expression on her face, having worked with her long enough to know when she was feeling mischievous. "Is something the matter, Lieutenant?" he asked curiously.

"No," said Torres with a small smile as she admired the white, sandy shoreline beyond the edge of the trees that they were concealed in. "But I was just thinking… if we don't hear back from Tuvok soon I may just go take a walk along that beach. It looks positively lovely."

* * *

Seven of Nine continued to monitor _Voyager_'s long range sensor sweeps of the star system while Chakotay used the communications console to coordinate activities on the planet. Simply by listening while she worked, Seven had been able to conclude that both Tuvok and B'Elanna Torres had succeeded with their assigned tasks. She had known the timing would be close, since there was simply no way to predict what an assembled crowd of hundreds of angry Church-goers would do once the normal routine of their evening services were interrupted. 

Her attention snapped toward two new contacts that suddenly appeared on the sensor map, causing her to open an emergency Comm-link to the bridge. "Seven of Nine to Captain Janeway," she said urgently. "Two of the captured Yukshaan starships have emerged from a nearby ionized gas cloud and are on course toward Rafali Prime at half impulse. They will be here in less than fifteen minutes."

From her command seat on the bridge, the Captain digested this new turn of events before replying. "_Along with the Vryke's starship, that makes three of the four we know that the Rafali have. Has there been any sign of the fourth vessel?_"

"Negative." The tall, former Borg drone quickly scanned the new data. "I would theorize that the remaining starship is still within the solar system, hiding behind a planet or moon. Stationing it any farther out would limit its ability to return in time to support the other ships in the Rafali fleet. I doubt that they would take that risk at this time, even if they have further terrorist attacks planned against Yukshaan targets."

Chakotay glanced up from the tactical map he was using to track the various _Voyager_ teams working alongside Governor Ruksin's people on the surface. "Indications are that the Rafalian fleet is receiving new orders," he reported. "There has been a tremendous spike in military communications activity between Damoklis City and the starships. News of the confrontation taking place within the Temple is spreading very quickly now all over the planet. Quite obviously the Prime Magnate's remaining supporters know that they have to stop us quickly or the plan they have set in motion will fail completely."

"_Then it's time to implement stage two of our plan_," decided the Captain. "_Recall all teams and shuttlecraft from the surface immediately. If Governor Ruksin feels comfortable staying with his people, beam his wife down to join him. But please be certain to stress that he is welcome to return to our ship if he has any doubts about the stability of the security situation down there_."

"I predict he will choose to stay. Tuvok is convinced everything is now under control within the city limits," Chakotay informed her. "But those conditions will change quickly even if the Vryke is unable to return to the planet. According to the Governor, there are many Rafalians in leadership positions throughout this world's other cities who strongly support the Prime Magnate's opposition to the Yukshaan and their Trade Coalition."

"_The starship controlled by the Vryke will reenter this star system in less than thirty minutes_," declared the Captain firmly. "_And our fleet of Rafalian friends out there is beginning to show signs of growing impatience. Sooner or later they're going to try and overwhelm us. Be ready Commander, because once our teams have returned, I'm placing_ Voyager _on red alert_."

Chakotay nodded and opened a new priority communications channel to the team leaders on the planet's surface. "Everybody complete what you're doing and return to _Voyager_ immediately," he warned them. "I am issuing an official recall order… all shuttles and ground personnel are to be back on board this starship in twenty minutes."

Seven smiled at him, and he paused for a moment to admire the soft features of her face, blonde hair and striking blue eyes with a warm grin of his own. "Even by the most optimistic of standards, stage one has progressed quite well," she pointed out to him.

"That's right. Now all we have to do is stop the Vryke."

She raised an eyebrow at his comment as, one by one, the ground teams began to report in.


	18. Rampage

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter XVII: Rampage**

* * *

Delta Quadrant, _Delta Flyer_, Stardate 54951.9:

* * *

Harry Kim didn't usually get discouraged, but on this particular day he was well on his way to embracing that emotion for the first time in a long while. More than two hours after their departure from _Voyager_, the _Delta Flyer_ was still trying to cautiously make its way out of the Rafali star system. Currently they were concealed behind a small moon orbiting a large, auburn-hued gas giant as both Ensign Kim and Icheb continued to make sensor sweeps in search of additional Rafalian starships. They had already dodged several of them; ships that had obviously been stationed on the perimeter of the system to watch for intruders. Quite obviously, those ships had now been recalled toward the beleaguered home world in hopes of arriving in time to make a difference as events there continued to unfold. 

Delaying their departure had been necessary, but had so far proven disastrous. The Vryke had begun reasserting its influence over its previously abandoned particle field as its starship drew closer to the system on its relentless, warp four interception course. If the creature was capable of detecting the _Flyer_ hiding within the endless, drifting folds of its energy field then it gave no indication that it did so. Both Harry Kim and Icheb watched sensors carefully as its starship roared past the fifth orbital slot that was the gas giant's position in the solar system. Its target continued to be planet number two – the Rafali home world. The course of the captured Yukshaan vessel on which the Vryke's consciousness rode never wavered for an instant, even after it had dropped to half impulse for the remainder of the trip inward.

"At first glance, everything finally looks all clear," Kim commented wryly. "For now anyway." Data nodded and activated the _Flyer_'s maneuvering thrusters, moving them gradually toward a higher altitude above the lifeless, crater-filled surface of the tiny moon.

"I don't see anything either," said Icheb with a sigh of relief. "It looks as though every available ship in the solar system has changed course directly toward _Voyager_. That may be bad for Captain Janeway, but it's good for our purposes. At least we'll be able to make it out of here as she intended for us to."

"Do not underestimate the Captain," pointed out Data. "Although I have not served with her long, her service record is a lengthy one and tactical strategy is one of her proven strengths. Captain Janeway would not have implemented an offensive move against the Vryke and the Rafali people without having at least one or two options set aside for eventually ending such a confrontation peacefully."

As he spoke the _Flyer_ continued to orbit the moon. All three of them sat quietly and waited as the outline of the enormous gas giant began to fill the cockpit view in front of them. Although they were still a vast distance away from its upper atmosphere, the curve of the huge planet was barely discernible in their shuttle's small cockpit windows. The strange, gaseous world looming below them was massive and ominous-looking, and the huge swirling storms comprising its upper atmosphere splashed various shades of orange, gold and red colors throughout the entire visible surface. On the edge of the distant horizon, the atmospheric turbulence actually appeared darker red than normal and – in some cases – even various shades of deep brown.

Ensign Kim's sensor console abruptly beeped sharply for attention. "I've got two, count 'em _two_ anti-matter missiles on an inbound course bearing 344 mark 62," he said with an unexpected burst of anxiety. He found himself suddenly leaning sharply to the right as Data instantly banked their small vessel sharply toward the huge planet beneath them.

"Icheb, please check on the children in the aft compartment," the android requested politely. "Make certain they are securely buckled into the temporary emergency seating that Lt. Torres and her team added prior to our departure. No exceptions… everyone must be secured as we will no doubt require additional evasive maneuvering in order to complete a successful escape."

"Aye sir," replied Icheb with a knot of unexpected fear growing in his stomach. It was one thing to know that trouble was lurking nearby, he discovered quickly, and quite another to know for certain that someone out there was actually _shooting_ at you.

He discovered that Naomi and the other children had felt the unexpected sharp twists and turns that Data was putting the _Delta Flyer_ through and were already in their seats. Nevertheless, Icheb proceeded back into the rear of the shuttle and visually verified that each of them was properly buckled securely into place.

"What's going on?" Naomi asked curiously, looking up into at him expectantly.

"I don't know for certain just yet," he told her truthfully. "Someone is trying to stop us from leaving the star system. I am fully confident that Commander Data will be able to pilot us to safety. Compared to a larger starship, we're pretty maneuverable even at impulse. Just make certain that everyone stays strapped into your seat until you hear from me. The Rafalian military finding us before we could leave the system may sound a bit scary, but we'll make it. I promise."

As he spoke the words the _Delta Flyer_ shuddered violently from the impact of an unseen force and rocked violently from side to side. The overhead lights flickered for an instant but came back on at full strength almost immediately. Before anyone could even blink the small ship's outer hull rumbled again in protest to a fresh wave of turbulence. Governor Ruksin's twin boys gazed at each other with frightened expressions while young Kyler started crying. His sister Veliana turned in her seat and put a comforting arm around the young boy sitting behind her. She smiled reassuringly at Kyler for a moment and then turned darkly toward Icheb. "If they follow the orders of Derryn Akseth they will show us no mercy," she said angrily. "I hope you are prepared to be just as fierce."

Her comment registered only briefly on Icheb's racing thoughts. "We'll see," he told her and gestured toward the cockpit. "I'd better get back up front in case they need my help…"

* * *

Icheb returned in time to discover that the turbulence they had felt was the direct result of missile explosions. "Our Borg-inspired photonic missiles detonated both warheads before they could get close enough," said Ensign Kim with satisfaction, glancing back at Icheb as he emerged from the cockpit doorway. "But that's not going to help us much against the Yukshaan starship hiding in the gas giant's atmosphere. As long as they stay beneath the overlaying gas storms, I can't locate or target them." 

Icheb paused mid-step. "Yukshaan?"

"Affirmative," replied Data. "It would appear that at least one of General Skellan's captured starships was stationed here with a Rafalian crew aboard her in the event that _Voyager_ tried to return to Yukshaan space. They have instead discovered us lurking about in their neighborhood."

Kim sighed heavily at the negative turn of events. "What are you going to do?" he asked.

"I am going to emulate Captain Janeway on this occasion and force them to choose," the android told him, watching the last of the missile explosions fade. He swung the _Flyer_ around in a sharp turn away from the planet and accelerated rapidly to three quarters of their available maximum impulse capability. "If the Rafalians on that starship were ordered to maintain their hiding spot in hopes of catching _Voyager_ they will stay. If not…"

The surrounding hull rumbled again, this time from the grazing hit of a highly charged plasma bolt. Additional pulses of the cobalt-hued energy bolts flashed past the cockpit window as Data continued to steer them back toward the moon that only minutes before they had left behind. The familiar shape of a Yukshaan starship leaped out of the gas giant's cloud cover and continued to pursue them with all of its forward plasma cannons firing repeatedly in their direction.

"Shouldn't we be moving back out into open space?" asked Icheb curiously. "This ship can outrun anything even the Yukshaan have developed."

The _Delta Flyer_ continued to fly steadily away from the large planet and back through its orbiting chain of satellite moons, swinging evasively from side to side. Their aft phaser cannons fired as Harry Kim activated the remaining weapons systems and targeted the pursuing starship. More plasma bolts flew their way, but Commander Data easily piloted the shuttle away from them and then spun the craft about 180 degrees to give Ensign Kim a better targeting angle for a majority of the _Flyer_'s weapons. Seconds later several more of the green, Borg-like photonic torpedoes smashed into the starship's shields and forced the larger vessel to alter course. By comparison, the _Flyer_ was dwarfed beneath its massive primary hull and the enemy ship's Captain was left with no choice but to momentarily change course away from them to allow his vessel's shields time to recover from the ferocity of the Borg-inspired weaponry.

"Fleeing into open space would be the more dangerous alternative at this time," Data said informatively as the situation stabilized long enough for him to answer Icheb's question. "The Rafalian soldiers still loyal to the Prime Magnate obviously have orders to guard the corridor between Yukshaan and Rafali space. We would be foolish to assume that there are not additional starships hiding in the vicinity of the gas giant. Once we are out in the open, we will lose the ability to hide. So long as warp drive remains unavailable to us, we need this planet and its moons in order to make full use of our superior maneuverability."

With shields fully recharged, the enemy starship returned its attention to them and launched another anti-matter missile. The projectile's targeting system had been poorly programmed however, and Ensign Kim was able to slice it neatly in half with a well placed phaser beam before it flew close enough to pose a threat. "They certainly haven't done their homework on how to run that starship," he observed closely, all the while watching the sensors for unexpected additional enemy ships. "They're doing okay targeting us with the plasma weaponry, but they're wasting those anti-matter missiles with no way to replace them once they're gone."

"Concentrate weapons fire on their engineering pod along the underside of their aft hull," ordered Data briskly, sending the precise coordinates he had chosen directly to Ensign Kim's console. During my time with General Skellan I was able to study the Yukshaan design extensively… their starship configurations are significantly different than the Rafali counterparts and much more highly advanced. By stealing their advanced weaponry, the Rafalians find themselves with very little experience in operating it. We can use that to our advantage."

"Can we knock out their weapons?" wondered Icheb as he too busied himself with sensor sweeps of the area surrounding the fifth planet. As they zipped back and forth between a pair of moons they kept entering new territory, with plenty of hiding spots in front of them. Thankfully, he and Ensign Kim found no sign of additional ships in the area. "Shouldn't we also be trying to knock out their ability to shoot back at us?"

Data nodded in agreement. "Unfortunately, the missiles are independently targeted and can be manually fired at any time. If we can disable their warp engines, however, the potency of their plasma charges will significantly decrease. Our primary objective at this time is to damage their engines sufficiently to prevent them from pursuing us. That will guarantee us a chance to escape using warp drive once we move clear of the Vryke's interference." He maneuvered the _Flyer_ expertly between another salvo of plasma charges… several of them grazed their layered, unimatrix shielding but none of them managed to penetrate it all the way through to the hull.

As Data continued to maneuver their speedy shuttle beneath the massive primary hull of the Yukshaan starship, Ensign Kim fired several powerful phaser bursts directly toward the massive engine tower suspended from the center of the ventral hull. The vessel did not have an advanced, bubble-type shielding system and he was able to pinpoint gaps in the surface deflectors and take full advantage of them with the _Delta Flyer_'s precision-targeted phaser cannons. Harry thinned the energy beams as tightly as he could possibly narrow them and used each beam to slice through the breaks in the shielding. He maintained fire for several seconds, allowing the beams to pierce the hull and penetrate deep into the ship's interior. As they moved back out into open space, the engineering pod glowed bright orange and red… seriously damaged from both internal explosions and the residual heat still lighting up the shields as it dissipated.

The Rafalians serving aboard the captured vessel were inexperienced but not stupid. They seized the opportunity while the enemy remained close enough to fire their own plasma charges directly at the _Flyer_'s engines. Again the Starfleet vessel's hull shook violently as the enemy plasma bolts aggressively struck their target. Harry Kim watched the damage control readouts with growing concern as the unexpected, angry conflict between the two ships continued. Red warning indicators flashed ominously on the deflector controls.

"Those were direct hits… shields are down to forty percent and in danger of failing completely Commander," he said in a cautioning tone of voice. "Our warp drive is off-line, and I'm showing at least one red light on the anti-matter core. We may be a lot more maneuverable than they are at warp and impulse, but they've got some big guns on that ship. All they need is one more solid hit and we're going to have casualties…"

Both ships had stopped shooting at each other long enough to sit quietly in space for a moment, sizing each other up. "_Alien vessel_," a tough sounding male voice crackled out of their communications system. "_You cannot escape us and you cannot outfight us… stand by while we come alongside and board you. Any attempt to recharge weapons and shields or escape will result in your immediate destruction. This is your only warning_."

After the Rafalian finished speaking the android quickly muted the Comm-link so that they could talk privately. "The best strategy at this time is to allow them to think that they have won," decided Data as he rapidly assessed their options. "We have disabled their warp drive, but they have in turn damaged ours as well. What we require most is time to get our engines back on-line and the _Delta Flyer_ out of Rafali space. That is the only way for us to escape from the Vryke's influence so that we can make use of our greater speed."

"I'll have to run a complete damage control check of all systems to be certain," Kim pointed out. "But it's quite possible we may not be _able_ to repair the warp drive without a long-term repair session aboard _Voyager_."

Data nodded in acknowledgement and reopened the Comm-link. "Enemy vessel, we are disarming weapons and preparing for docking maneuvers," he told the Rafalians. As he spoke the words he was already unbuckling the seat harness holding him firmly in the pilot's seat, anticipating his next move.

"You're not going to just give up, are you?" asked Icheb angrily as he glared at the two of them. "We can't just quit and let the Governor's children fall into the hands of those _monsters!_ Veliana told me that the Prime Magnate will _kill_ the Governor's _entire_ family just to get even with him!"

"Prolonged combat and repeated damage to this shuttle will endanger the children far more than temporarily allowing our enemy to believe we are surrendering," stated Data confidently. "Given our small size and the number of hits they have so far landed, it is logical that their Captain will believe that they have severely disabled us. Most shuttles are not designed to take the sustained beating this one can."

"Agreed," said Kim as he conducted a quick visual survey out the port window. "There is a small but definite trail of warp plasma leaking from our port nacelle… if they scanned that, then we definitely look worse off than we actually are."

Data stood up and gestured toward the pilot's seat. "Ensign Kim, please take over the _Flyer_'s helm controls. I need you to follow instructions precisely if we are to escape with our mission intact. I fully intend to follow Captain Janeway's orders and insure that Governor Ruksin's children are safely delivered into the hands of the Yukshaan… but we need to act quickly."

"Aye sir." Harry changed places with Data but glanced curiously at the android. "What are you planning to do?" he asked with more than a little curiosity. "If we let them board us, it's over… you realize that, don't you?"

"Of course I do," the android told him, watching the alien starship grow quickly larger in the cockpit's window as it maneuvered closer to them. He checked the weapons console and verified that they had powered down their weapons but did not bother sitting down at the station. "As I mentioned earlier, I have very detailed tactical schematics regarding the layout of Yukshaan starships. I downloaded General Skellan's database directly into my positronic memory, and now intend to make full use of that information. Time is what we need in order to give us the opportunity to make repairs and escape from this system."

Kim didn't like the Commander's chosen words very much. "What are you planning Data?" he asked again. "We have no idea how well trained the people on that ship are… if they get suspicious and fire weapons at this range they're going to vaporize us."

The Ensign received a smirk of positronic-generated amusement from the android. "I can assure you, I have plenty of experience with these types of situations. What we need is a diversion," Data replied coolly. "A really _big_ one."

* * *

Captain Enri Darro waved a hand futilely in an effort to control the white electrical smoke pouring out of the damaged consoles on his bridge. Soldiers normally on guard duty in front of the bridge's entrance door had located several extinguishers and were in the process of dousing the worst of the flames. They had damaged the Starfleet vessel as intended, but not until the smaller shuttle had kicked them back hard. 

"How many anti-matter missiles do we have left?" asked Darro curiously, his eyes watching the oval viewscreen in front of him and the image of the powered down shuttle drifting there.

"Seven," reported Commander Huderle, his First Officer. "But I don't think we should use them against such a small target. If you ask me, we're just wasting them…"

"I _didn't_ ask you!" Darro snarled fiercely in reply. "Tend to your duties."

The anger he felt was due to months and months of constant frustration and anxiety. It had started immediately after the Prime Magnate had ordered him to assume command of the _Kafic Relente_. Since that time his life had grown progressively tougher and extremely unpredictable as new groups of soldiers were assigned under his command, assigned to helm an enemy starship with advanced computer systems that most of them knew virtually nothing about. Now they had been forced unexpectedly into combat with an even more advanced ship, and his men had performed substantially worse than the progress reports he had been receiving indicated that they would. Someone had obviously been exaggerating about their progress in figuring out the new technology, and that realization only fueled the Captain's growing rage.

"_This is the engine room_," snapped an unexpected voice from a nearby Comm-station. With the whirlwind of rotating personnel and repeated changes in assignments that had occurred on the ship recently, Darro had no idea _who_ specifically was reporting in. "_Those weapons that ship fired cut through our shields like they weren't even there… we've got casualties and major damage down here. There are at least a day's worth of repairs waiting, and that's if we don't take additional weapons fire. I wouldn't recommend_…"

Captain Darro slapped the nearest communications pad angrily. "There will _be_ no additional combat," he declared sharply. "If that vessel powers up weapons or tries to escape, we're going to destroy it immediately. So _make_ your repairs and leave the combat and negotiations to us." Exhaling sharply he took a brief moment to compose himself and then glanced toward the team guarding the bridge access ladderwell. "Corporal Nass, you are ordered to recruit and accompany a fire team to the port cargo bay," he ordered, pointing toward the floor and the lower decks beneath them. "Take everyone on that shuttle into custody and report directly to me once you have done so."

"Aye Captain," the man nodded, leaving his partner behind to guard the bridge crew as he stepped onto the ladder in the open doorway and began climbing down toward Deck 2.

Darro reseated himself in the command seat and paused for a moment to think as the large starship continued moving steadily closer toward the smaller form of the Starfleet vessel. Although the Yukshaan technology was highly advanced compared to Rafali standards, concealing the stolen vessel in the atmosphere of the gas giant had been a risky venture. The Captain had only complied with the request because it had been issued as an _official_ order straight from the top of his chain of command. He wasn't allowed to hide near a moon or behind the gas giant itself; his instructions had been specific – to place the ship well below the top of the huge planet's atmosphere so that they could covertly watch for any signs of movement between the Yukshaan and Rafali home worlds.

Many complaints had been received over the past few days regarding the repeated creaks and groans from the vessel's stressed superstructure as it hovered within the atmosphere of the solar system's second largest gravity well. The toll on their systems had been enormous, and – in Captain Darro's opinion – had now become a major contributing factor in the heavy damage they had received from the Federation shuttle's advanced weaponry. He intended to file a very lengthy protest and include it in the next communications report that he transmitted back to home base.

_At least the Starfleet vessel was in custody… if nothing else they had accomplished that much._

Darro reopened the communications link with Engineering. "How is it going down there Joa?" he asked curiously. "Rohnah? I want an update immediately!" He leaned back in the center seat and waited impatiently until a response finally arrived.

"_All fires are under control sir_," Joa Navit responded, his tone dark and moody. "_We still have a few injuries down here, and they're being transferred to the Medical Bay as we speak. Once that has been taken care of and we're back up to full staff we can begin a serious repair effort. For now it's taking everything we have just to keep the anti-matter core intact and stabilized. So far that isn't a problem, but I wouldn't recommend letting that enemy ship fire those energy beams of theirs again… that might prove disastrous to say the least_."

Darro swung his intense gaze toward the remaining guard behind him. "Private, assemble an emergency repair team… recruit everyone currently off duty and proceed immediately to engineering. Assist with repairs however Joa and Rohnah direct you to."

"Aye sir." As Colonel Nass had done, the marine promptly accessed the ladderwell behind him and descended into the starship's lower levels.

As the Captain returned his attention to the viewscreen he suddenly observed a bright blue and green shimmering beam appear from an emitter on the Starfleet shuttle. Their hull rumbled in response and he glanced questioningly at his First Officer as the shuddering continued. "Commander Huderle, is that some sort of _weapon?_" he asked with extreme curiosity, preparing as he spoke the words to issue a final order for the vessel's destruction. "I thought I told you to watch for signs of…"

His First Officer shook his head negatively. "No sir, it's a tractor beam very similar to the larger mechanism we discovered aboard this ship… used for _towing_…" Huderle's expression grew quizzical as he watched the enemy shuttle fire its thrusters and begin to move away from them at a perpendicular angle, all while its tractor beam continued to tug relentlessly at the larger ship. The shuttle continued to accelerate away from them, causing the Commander to glance up with complete puzzlement. "That will never work… they're keeping a tractor beam locked onto our hull while they attempt to move away. Since we're the larger ship and under our own power, there's no _way_ they can tow us. The result of that type of a crazy maneuver is likely to be extremely unpredictable."

"I don't care what it's _likely_ to be," interrupted Darro. "I want them to stop, _immediately_. Ready the pulse cannons at half power and prepare to disable…" He paused before he could finish the sentence, mesmerized by the sheer absurdity of what they were witnessing the Starfleet shuttle's pilot attempting to do.

The _Delta Flyer_'s thrusters continued to move it away from the massive enemy vessel as Harry Kim expertly executed the very risky, unexpected maneuver. The further the small shuttle pulled away, the more its tractor beam tugged persistently at the larger ship to follow. Since the massive starship was maintaining its own course, the _Flyer_ by itself didn't have nearly enough power to force the captured Yukshaan vessel to alter course. As a result, the Starfleet shuttle continued moving away until it reached a point where its thrusters could push it no farther. For a brief instant in time it hesitated at the peak of its outward maneuver, with Ensign Kim continuing to hold the opposite end of the tractor beam firmly locked in place on the other ship's hull. The entire maneuver, from start to finish, took less than forty-five seconds to complete.

Like a stretched elastic band suddenly snapping back into place, the _Delta Flyer_ cut its tractor beam completely and followed the dissipating energy strand rapidly back toward the _Kafic Relente_. Accelerating to full thrusters the shuttle swiveled just in time for its starboard side to slam hard against the Yukshaan starship's outer portside hull. Enri Darro cursed angrily as his vessel shook violently – this collision felt even _worse_ than any weapon that had struck them previously.

The Captain watched with complete disbelief as several consoles in front of him overloaded and spewed more smoke and flames into the air. A huge mushroom cloud from the helm console lifted into the air and then spread out upon hitting the overhead ceiling, filling the bridge once again with smoke and surprised shouts as Darro shook his head with growing annoyance. He was _really_ mad now… the angry emotions were so powerful that they were beginning to overwhelm his normally well-trained, disciplined thought process.

"_Destroy them immediately!_" Darro shouted, pointing toward the viewscreen for emphasis.

The impact had thrown everyone from their seats, so Commander Huderle picked himself off the metallic floor plating and made a quick inspection of both helm and weapons systems. Turning toward the Captain with a concerned expression, he shook his head negatively as he wiped blood from a lengthy cut on his face. "Main power is _completely_ down sir, including weapons," he told Darro, coughing slightly as he inhaled a chest full of swirling smoke. "The enemy shuttle is holding its position directly alongside our portside hull… we have short range maneuvering thrusters only. All other systems are damaged, unavailable and in need of major repair."

Again the Captain cursed. "Then use thrusters and _dock_ with them!" he ordered after quickly evaluating the few options left to him. "Bring us close enough to put the docking collar around that ship. The sooner we capture those crazy bandits and off-load them into our brig, the sooner we can fix everything without them blowing it all to hell and back again!"

"Aye sir." Commander Huderle opened a Comm-link to Deck 7. "Corporal Nass, proceed to the port cargo bay," he said, directing their marine task force. "We're maneuvering alongside the enemy ship and preparing to lock on. You are ordered to deploy the docking collar and use it to evacuate the shuttle. Take the enemy into custody _ASAP!_"

"_Aye sir_." Coming from the sizzling, sputtering flames around the central communications console, the almost instantaneous response from the Corporal sounded more than a little mechanically distorted. "_We're doing the best we can down here… there's lots of damage and the power is out –_." That quickly, the Corporal's transmission from the lower deck was suddenly cut off. Commander Huderle and several officers appeared a moment later, directing the hissing spray from several fire extinguishers at the still burning flames along the surface of the communications console.

"Nass… Nass, are you there… _answer me!_" Enri Darro's hands closed around the arms of the command seat and he squeezed them as tightly as he could. _What else could go wrong this cursed day?_ he wondered with silent fury.

* * *

Icheb had been informed of Data's bold plan ahead of time and promptly returned to the aft compartment so that he could make certain the children were prepared for the _Delta Flyer_'s next move. Prior to their departure from _Voyager_, B'Elanna's engineering team had bolted a special block of reinforced seating to the floor with four chairs on each side. There was plenty of room for him to join Naomi Wildman and Governor Ruksin's kids, and the concerned young man promptly took a seat next to Veliana and buckled himself securely in place. 

"What's going on?" asked Nohri, his freckle-faced expression clearly frightened. "All of that shaking was an attack, wasn't it? Are we going to be destroyed?" His twin brother Dohri looked to Icheb with equal curiosity, his own expression similarly frightened.

"No we're _not_ going to be destroyed… not if we can help it. However, there is a large starship out there trying to prevent us from leaving this solar system as planned. Our weapons array is off-line and the shields are failing, so Commander Data and Ensign Kim have come up with a plan to damage the other ship."

Naomi watched his reaction carefully. "How?" she asked him.

"Right now Data has pinpointed the weakest point along the hull of the ship as it tries to dock with us. Any second now Ensign Kim is going to attach a tractor beam to that part of their vessel and then pull the _Delta Flyer_ away from them. Since the larger ship is moving under its own power, it will eventually overpower our tractor beam. When that happens, the other ship's momentum is going to yank us very quickly toward it. We'll impact against their hull and catch them totally by surprise."

"_THAT'S YOUR PLAN!_" Naomi turned her wide, bright-eyed gaze toward him with shocked disbelief. "You're going to _RAM_ us into the side of a starship?"

Icheb smiled with confidence. "You don't understand just how well constructed the _Delta Flyer_ is," he told them. "With our inertial dampers, remaining shields and the tetraburnium superstructure that B'Elanna, Tom and Lt. Tuvok designed into this shuttle, we're practically an impenetrable missile at sub-light speeds. Trust me, their hull will breach before ours does."

There was nothing left for the rest of them to do but sit in stunned silence as they waited for the inevitable collision. Icheb's hand moved over to Veliana's and she smiled gratefully at him as he clasped her fingers in his. Her hand was cold and the skin on her face pale from fright, but her expression was one of fierce determination. Together they sat in silence as the seconds slowly ticked by. With no windows to look out of, all they could do was wait patiently.

"_All right back there_," Kim's voice echoed unexpectedly from a ceiling speaker. "_I hope everyone is buckled in tight and ready for action. We're going to have a pretty violent impact, but I want to assure everyone that the collision will be brief_."

"We're ready," Icheb replied briskly. "Hit them as hard as you can Ensign!" he said with an angry resolve of his own.

Kim left the Comm-link open so that Icheb and the children could hear everything as it occurred. "_Warp nacelles and impulse engines are fully retracted… auxiliary power has been routed to the inertial damping systems. I'm cutting power to the tractor beam and raising our remaining shields in 5-4-3-2-1…_"

The rumble of the maneuvering thrusters stopped, and the sudden silence in their aftermath seemed to last an eternity. From Icheb's point of view it didn't even feel like they were moving any longer… at least not until the _Delta Flyer_ actually _did_ collide violently with the _Kafic Relente_. The impact shook the small shuttle considerably, to say the least. Fortunately, everyone had braced themselves well in advance of the event and the seat harnesses held them all firmly in place. Both vessels separated almost immediately as the force of the crash actually bounced the _Flyer_ back and away from the larger starship. For a moment, the lights and power systems flickered and almost went out. Then emergency power automatically snapped on to supplement the main supply and the normal sounds of the shuttle's systems resumed their normal activity.

Next to him, Veliana and Naomi sat in their seats looking a bit nauseous. Icheb exhaled slowly and took a deep breath before glancing back at the three boys in the seats behind him. "Is everyone okay back there?" he asked.

Surprisingly, little six-year old Kyler was the first to speak. "Can we do that _again?_" he asked with a loud, hysterical giggle.

* * *

Corporal Beliok Nass was flanked by six other men, three to his left and three to his right, as the squad of marines entered the darkened cavernous entrance to the port cargo bay. Although the floor beneath them was technically Deck 7, its ceiling reached all the way to the top of Deck 6 far above. Nass had worked long shifts in this particular bay on many occasions, so he knew that there was a huge utility elevator at the rear of the bay leading directly into the _Kafic Relente_'s shuttle bay on Deck 5. The shuttle hangar was even larger than the cargo area, filling all of Decks 3, 4, and 5 at the rear of the primary hull. Since Yukshaan transporter technology was still primarily in its experimental stages, large elevators and forklifts were relied upon for moving around heavier supplies and equipment. 

Nass clicked on a large flashlight and its bright beam poked like a long spear into the pitch black darkness beyond. The other soldiers also activated their lights, and along with the glow coming from the dimly lit, overhead corridor lamps they could vaguely identify the stacks of supplies and parked forklift equipment inside the bay. The Corporal focused the beam from his light firmly on the far wall, moving it from side to side until he located the docking hatch. He knew from experience that the outside of the doorway contained an extendable collar normally used to lock onto other ships during docking maneuvers. It would work perfectly for the Starfleet shuttle once their vessel pulled alongside of it long enough for Nass and his men to connect the two ships. After that, they would have a reliable, temporary airlock to work with.

He jerked his thumb toward the man next to him. "Private, find the power supply to the lights and see if you can get them back on," he said briskly, glancing briefly back toward the outer access hatchway. "After that we can…"

The ship suddenly bucked violently and threw the approaching soldiers against the far wall. From their perspective, it sounded like a huge bomb had gone off on the outer hull. One of the marines landed flat on his chest and slid headfirst into a large crate of equipment. Above and around them the vessel's already overstressed superstructure continued to creak and groan ominously. Most of the material within the bay was secured firmly to the floor for exactly these types of situations, but a few loose tools and at least one large heavy barrel flew dangerously close to the startled marines. The tools clattered to a stop against the wall, while the barrel bounced off of it, landed on its side and rolled off into the distant darkness. Corporal Nass remained still for a moment to gather himself, then cussed profusely and leaped nimbly back to his feet.

The _Kafic Relente_'s thrusters had shut down and the starship was listing noticeably to port. Around him, Nass' men all returned to standing positions and – one by one – signaled to him that they were all right. They waited patiently for a moment to see if another attack was coming. As they did so, the starship shuddered in reply to the unexpected blow it had received and steadied its course. The sound of the maneuvering thrusters coming back on-line rumbled audibly through the metal wall plating.

"_Corporal Nass, proceed to the port cargo bay_," Commander Huderle's voice crackled unexpectedly into his ear unit, causing him to flinch slightly. "_We're maneuvering alongside the enemy ship and preparing to lock on. You are ordered to deploy the docking collar and use it to evacuate the shuttle. Take the enemy into custody ASAP!_"

"Aye sir," the Corporal snapped quickly in response, stepping up to the hatch's window so that he could look outside. "We're doing the best we can down here… there's lots of damage and the power is out –." Nass paused in mid-transmission as he saw the _Delta Flyer_ suddenly slow its course and drop quickly behind the _Kafic Relente_ and out of his visual range. He was in the process of opening his mouth to ask the bridge officers just exactly what was going on when a hand with a vice-like grip unexpectedly seized his shoulder from behind.

The light and shadows within the dimly lit cargo bay spun rapidly past his vision as he felt a second grip on the back of his pants – something equally powerful. The unseen force lifted the Corporal completely off of his feet and heaved him ferociously across the entire width of the cargo bay. He landed on his feet and then tumbled forward into an awkward belly flop, eventually sliding forcefully into the wall next to the corridor exit. He lost both his helmet and communications headset in the process, but felt the comforting weight of his rifle still strapped around his left shoulder as he struggled to maintain consciousness. Dizziness threatened to overwhelm him for a moment, but that was only the beginning of the ensuing chaos.

Sporadic weapons fire lit up the bay with occasional flares of bright blue energy as heated shouts of anger echoed through the large bay. The Colonel's soldiers were fighting with something unknown and – from the sound of it – losing badly. Another flare of energy – this time bright orange – lit up the darkness and Nass saw one of his soldiers stumble and fall, his body glowing brightly from the after effects of the discharge. Seconds later, another similar blast caught a second marine full in the chest, and he too slumped to the ground motionless.

Flashlights still held by other marines were waving frantically back and forth in an attempt to locate intruders. Others that had been dropped tumbled uncontrollably across the floor, casting odd patterns of shadow and light across the walls, crates and other supplies within the massive cargo room. Nass pulled himself up into a kneeling position, and as he did so he caught a brief glance of a familiar, gold-topped Starfleet uniform. The design precisely matched pictures he had seen of known Starfleet personnel. He and his men had reviewed them during a briefing held just prior to their receiving the new orders assigning them to watch for _Voyager_ near the gas giant.

Reacting instinctively, Corporal Nass spun his rifle into position and fired several shots in the direction of the intruder that he had spotted. The bursts lit up the room for a brief few seconds and his eyes scanned back and forth… searching. A blur of motion to his left caused him to whirl and fire again – nearly too late this time. The shot grazed the left shoulder of a humanoid figure running rapidly toward him at high speed… much too fast for any normal person to move. The quickness of the newcomer was incredible, and Nass noticed with extreme dissatisfaction that his shot failed to slow the alien's approach.

In less than ninety seconds, all six of his men had been disarmed and were lying motionless on the floor of the cargo bay. They were either unconscious or dead; without full lighting restored and time to check their condition the Colonel could not be certain. He gasped for breath as the strange, gold-skinned alien halted his rapid-fire evasive movements abruptly, directly in front of him. The Starfleet visitor placed a hand around Nass' neck using that same vice-like grip the Colonel had felt earlier, lifted effortlessly, and held him suspended above the deck plating.

_With one hand_.

Even as those three words flashed through his mind the alien removed Nass' rifle with his free hand and tossed it far inside the cargo bay. It vanished beyond the sphere of light created by the still rolling flashlights on the ground, clattering noisily to the floor somewhere in the darkness beyond.

"Greetings," said the alien emotionlessly. Although he smirked slightly, Colonel Nass seriously doubted that the alien found the situation the least bit amusing. "I am Commander Data from the starship _Voyager_."

"You… are under… _arrest!_" Nass managed to croak out loud as he continued to be held suspended by the throat. "You… are my _prisoner!_" Noticing his difficulty breathing, the newcomer calling himself Data promptly lowered the Colonel back to the ground and gave him a light shove backwards.

"I do not think so," Data told him, raising his hand phaser. He used it to stun the Colonel into unconsciousness and then retreated back into the cargo bay until he found Nass' communications headset. He inspected the damage to his left shoulder as he did so, noticing that it was mostly superficial. The graze from Nass' plasma charge had burned through his uniform and the pseudo-skin covering the metallic body beneath, but other than that the Starfleet android remained fully functional and ready for additional action.

Data reopened the communications link to the bridge, noticing immediately that someone had obviously been trying to reach the Colonel. "_Nass_," a voice repeated over and over. "_Are you down there or not… what in _blazes_ is going on?_"

"To whom am I speaking?" asked Data politely. The reply was immediate and predictable.

"_Who is this?_" demanded the voice on the other end of the transmission heatedly.

"I am the invading force that has transported aboard your vessel," Data told him. "My name is Data, and I was in command of the shuttle you attacked. I was tasked with making certain that innocent non-combatants were shuttled out of this star system, and I fully intend to insure that they do indeed depart safely. The damage to your starship is extensive, so I am well aware that even your impulse drive is currently unusable. You cannot pursue the shuttle any longer due primarily to damage inflicted by our collision, so I suggest that you peacefully allow them to go."

The receiver in Data's ear crackled and hissed with distortion as a second voice on the other end of the transmission suddenly began shouting. "_I am Captain Enri Darro of the Rafalian Peoples' Military and in command of this starship. You are ordered to surrender immediately! Comply and you will live… defy me and you will be immediately executed upon capture!_"

"I am afraid that I cannot do that," said Data in response. "I must remain free to insure that this vessel discontinues its pursuit of my colleagues. Since it was stolen from the Yukshaan to begin with, technically the starship is not even yours. You are the intruders."

Something non-translatable echoed out of the receiver, sounding very much like cursing. "_Now you listen here mister_," Captain Darro said hotly. "_We are in the process of _repairing_ our impulse drive, and once we have done so I plan to pursue and _destroy_ your precious shuttle and everyone aboard it! You were _warned_ not to try anything when we attempted to board it, but you did not listen. I promise you here and now, when I find that shuttle of yours I'm going to blow it into tiny little pieces. Do I make myself clear?_"

Data nodded. "I suspected you would say that," he acknowledged. "Therefore, your continued determination to destroy the innocents on that shuttle has left me with no alternative but to proceed all the way to Deck 1 and commandeer your bridge as well."

"_I'd like to see you try!_" snarled Darro fiercely, his voice almost a shout. The volume of his tone caused the transmission to pop and crackle slightly. "_Do you know how many men there are on this ship? You won't make it past Deck 3_."

"There are fifty-nine of you aboard this vessel, and I have already captured and disarmed seven of them," Data informed him optimistically. "Stand by until I arrive… I strongly suspect that you will hear me coming long before I actually reach the bridge."

Without waiting for a response Data tossed the headset casually aside and accelerated back to full android sprint speed into the corridor beyond, his hand phaser held at the ready.

* * *

By the time he reached Deck 3, Data had stunned or physically incapacitated a total of seventeen Rafalians. Although he had used the heaviest stun setting available and was careful to utilize his mega-strength during hand-to-hand combat responsibly without causing permanent damage, the unconscious Rafalian condition was most certainly a temporary one. His choice of combat techniques necessitated that he continue moving as swiftly as possible in order to seize total control of the Yukshaan starship. 

The _Kafic Relente_'s primary hull consisted of ten decks, with the top two reserved for centralized command and control. From the _Delta Flyer_'s scans, the android already knew that five people normally served on the Deck 1 bridge, with seven additional crewmen manning support stations within the slightly larger Deck 2 below it. Since he had encountered only mild resistance on the way up from Deck 7, at least thirty Rafalians were currently working in the aft Engineering core located on Decks 8 to 10.

_At the bottom of the ship._

It didn't surprise Data in the least to discover that Captain Darro had tried to deceive him. An important part of any effective military strategy involved the use of bluffing and misdirection. Advertising the fact that most of his crew had been assigned to repair the ship's engines and thereby revealing the glaring weaknesses left on the upper decks would have been a major mistake. During his journey up the ladderwells, the android had been able to visually verify that the rectangular primary hull of the starship did indeed compose the bulk of the lower eight decks. The top two were contained within a large dome attached directly to the upper hull, and currently at least a dozen men had secured both of those decks in anticipation of his arrival.

Not surprisingly, the access hatchways to Deck 2 were closed and tightly locked. Data paused briefly as he reviewed the possibilities available to him, accessing General Skellan's database files from within his positronic memory and using them to complete a full analysis of the situation. Less than a second later he came to a decision and set his new plan into motion.

* * *

Commander Huderle noticed that his Captain was sweating profusely as they waited for the enemy invader's arrival. The fires from damage sustained during the fight with the Starfleet shuttle had generated above average temperatures, but Huderle was still betting that Darro was more than a little nervous about a potential confrontation with an unknown alien species. They had been briefed on the physiology of humanoids from Earth, and so far this intruder had behaved in a manner completely opposite of what they had been told. He had proved unstoppable and completely torn through the marine defenses stationed between the bridge and the cargo bay in mere minutes. 

_Some of those men were his friends… had they all been killed?_

_Was there one intruder or many? So far they had no conclusive evidence that only one person had boarded their ship, but the alien shuttle had been so _small.

Behind them an officer from Deck 2 poked his head through the open ladderwell entrance in the floor at the rear of the bridge. "He's definitely down here Captain, using some sort of weapon to cut through one of our hatchways."

Darro swiveled in the command chair, his sidearm drawn and resting in his lap. "How long until he reaches us, Lieutenant?"

The Rafalian climbed several more rungs until his chest and shoulders were also visible. "I don't know for certain," he responded truthfully. "The metal is already too hot to touch. Without a full analysis of the capabilities of his weapon it is difficult to estimate. I would say we have less than five minutes."

Darro sighed heavily, his expression grim as he wiped sweat from his forehead. "Suggestions?"

"We have over two dozen men down in Engineering, working on repairs right this minute," Huderle reminded him. "Why don't we temporarily transfer all major bridge command functions to Joa? That way he can maintain control of the starship even if we are defeated."

Enri Darro glared at him. "Just _how_ is this man and whoever might be with him – whatever capabilities he may have – going to possibly come through that hatch and defeat _all_ of us?" Despite the strong statement he evaluated the Commander's statement responsibly and reluctantly realized that his Commander was right. "All right…" he admitted finally. "Do it Huderle – transfer _all_ command functions to the engineering crew."

The First Officer backed away from one of the few remaining undamaged consoles and slowly turned to face Darro. "I can't do it alone sir… that kind of action requires a direct authorization from the ship's _Captain_ before I can proceed."

The Captain nodded in agreement and opened a Comm-link directly to engineering. "Joa, I need you to have Rohnah take over supervision of the entire repair effort. The bridge is under attack, so I'm going to transfer all critical computer functions to you until we're certain that all intruders have been neutralized. You're in command until I tell you otherwise."

"_Acknowledged Captain. I wish we had the time to spare down here, but we'll manage_."

The Captain stood up and moved to stand next to Commander Huderle; wordlessly they both began working quickly. It took them several minutes to bypass damaged systems, but in the end they accomplished what they set out to do. They successfully rerouted all current bridge functions so that they could only be accessed from the engineering consoles located on Deck 10. "How long until the enemy cuts through?" he asked, turning toward the man still standing in the ladderwell leading down to the support stations beneath them.

The Lieutenant glanced down and passed along the message, then waited for a response. Finally he turned back toward Darro. "He's going to open a hole to Deck 2 any second now… the metal on our side of the hatchway is extremely hot and dissolving fast. Don't worry Captain, we're ready for him… he'll never get past us!"

The Captain ignored the last comment and contacted engineering again. "Darro to Navit… Joa you folks have control of the ship now – continue repairs and be certain to have an armed team standing by down there at _all_ times. Once the enemy discovers what we've done, he will no doubt redirect his attack toward you. If we're unable to stop him, you and your men _have_ to prevent him from taking control of this starship." He stood quietly waiting and grew extremely impatient when there was no immediate response. "_Joa, respond!_" he snapped briskly, seething as he received only static for a reply.

Warning klaxons suddenly went off all over the bridge, causing Darro to curse angrily. "_What now?_" he muttered with growing frustration as both he and Commander Huderle studied the freshly updated readouts. Unless they deactivated the bridge systems completely they could still monitor activity, although the transfer of command functions now prevented them from inputting any direct commands into the ship's main computer.

"It looks like our warp core is _destabilizing_…" Huderle gasped.

They both stood there, transfixed, as the magnetic energy holding the anti-matter firmly isolated within the warp core gradually began to dissipate. Once it faded to the point where the highly unstable fuel was able to escape and interact with normal matter, the ship would explode and all hands aboard would be lost. The consequences of such a failure could prove catastrophic, since all other Rafalian starships had been ordered back to the home world.

"_Joa!_" the Captain screamed into the Comm-link. "What's happening down there? _Answer me!_"

There was still no response, and without any obvious indications as to just what was going on the imbalance in the magnetic field suddenly reversed itself. The problem in the _Kafic Relente_'s warp core vanished without a trace – as swiftly as it had appeared – and all status indicators promptly switched from red back to green. Darro leaned against Commander Huderle's console and closed his eyes for a few seconds, trying to focus his understandably rattled concentration.

"Thank God," said Huderle, breathing a huge sigh of relief.

Behind them came the unexpected sounds of weapons fire, followed almost immediately by loud shouts and a great deal of cursing. The Lieutenant standing in the ladderwell frowned and immediately dropped back down to Deck 2. Additional cries of outrage and more weapons fire echoed back up the empty chute. Less than sixty seconds later there was only silence to be heard, causing the Captain to quickly retreat toward the ladderwell with his weapon held at the ready. Curiously he glanced down toward the deck below them, then relaxed and lowered his weapon. As he did so the Lieutenant's head poked back up through the opening in the floor.

"There's no one out there, sir," he informed them. "The corridor appears to be empty."

The lines across Darro's forehead wrinkled as his expression grew visibly confused. "What are you talking about?" he demanded furiously. "If there's no one down there, then just _who_ the hell cut through that hatch?"

The Lieutenant shrugged. "The discharge from the alien's weapon continued firing even after it burned through the bulkhead. So the Major down here and his buddies opened the _other_ hatch and then fired their weapons out into the corridor below. There was no one down there for them to hit… _I swear_. They're down there right now checking the entire length of the corridor for any additional signs of movement." He held up a Federation hand phaser. "This weapon was found hooked into the strap of one of our marine helmets and was intentionally set to fire continually at the entrance. It's been firing all this time with no one down there actually holding it."

Huderle cringed. "It was all a _diversion_…" he said, watching another indicator on his console blink for attention. "Sir, our main shuttle bay doors at the top of Deck 3 are opening. It looks like someone has depressurized the bay and is letting all of our shuttles float out into space. That leaves only the escape pods for us to use in the event that we have to abandon ship."

Darro winced at the news and shook his head in disagreement. "Our mysterious enemy doesn't care about _escape pods_," the Captain declared. "He's getting rid of the shuttles to prevent us from using them to pursue his own ship… that's his primary objective, remember? After that, my guess is that he's going to head down to engineering and try to seize control of our ship – just like he promised he would. After all, he just tricked us into transferring all of our command functions down there, didn't he? And we haven't heard a peep from Joa, have we?"

Commander Huderle looked confused while silently analyzing the Captain's theories. "There are at least _thirty_ men down there… he'll be shot before he even gets close to the engine room!"

The Captain chuckled with dark amusement. "Why do you think the core temporarily destabilized a short while ago?" he asked curiously. "Most of our men probably evacuated immediately before the emergency containment doors closed. The rest… well, he's already proven he can take down a large number of even our best people whenever he chooses to." Moving back to the central command console he opened a communications link to engineering. "Joa, are you down there?" he asked futilely. "Joa, respond _immediately_… that is a direct order from your Captain!"

Regrettably, the only reply he received was additional static.

* * *

**_Author's Note:_** I ended up replacing this Chapter after carefully reviewing Data's dialogue a bit... I caught him using contractions in several sentences! Who thought THAT one up on TNG? 


	19. Things To Remember

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter XVIII: Things To Remember**

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54952.0:

* * *

Prime Minister Idmund Ketterlin joined the bridge crew, primarily out of curiosity, just shortly before _Voyager_ began moving away from the Rafali home world. As the Vryke rode further into the star system aboard its captured starship, large concentrations of its elementary particles immediately began moving toward it. Quite obviously the creature wanted the bulk of its massive, continually growing body available for use in any confrontation that took place. Unfortunately, the focused, concentrated redistribution of its energy had cut off all possibility of communication with other members of the Trade Coalition. 

_Captain Janeway and her crew would fight this battle alone._

Once _Voyager_ officially broke orbit, several of the enemy Rafalian starships fell back and opened a gap large enough to allow them to leave. During their stay in orbit, Seven of Nine had intercepted and recorded a great deal of encrypted military transmissions and expertly decoded them. Her analysis revealed that many of the Captains were uncertain of what to do next; particularly now that the Temple leadership the fleet commanders relied upon so heavily had been officially dissolved in the wake of Governor Ruksin's unexpected return. Massive change was taking place on the surface of the home world, changes that were completely out of their control. Even after _Voyager_'s departure the Rafalian Captains still did not know what to expect if they were to return to the surface… would they be reassigned or arrested on sight?

A clear majority was in agreement that they were still in service to their people, and that keeping them safe was their ultimate responsibility. They were not eager to try and pick a fight with _Voyager_, and so had contented themselves with observing its actions from a safe distance. If the Federation starship made some sort of aggressive move against their planet or people, then obviously they were prepared to act – but certainly not before. Many were more than a little bit puzzled that _Voyager_ had not already attacked, since they had been told that its Captain was planning to wage war against them. The rapidly spreading news that the Starfleet Captain had instead returned Villip Ruksin to the planet's surface left them confused and utterly bewildered.

_Nothing was happening the way it was supposed to._

Before ship-to-ship communications failed completely, Seven recorded enough of the military activity to allow identification of the vessels upon which commanders sympathetic to the Prime Magnate rode. They were easily identified, since their Captains remained mostly silent, unsure of what to do now that the rest of their fleet was talking openly once again about the need to keep their population protected. Many of them had known that something very big was about to happen, but without the Prime Magnate to lead the way they were completely in the dark about how to go about supporting his agenda. They had not received new orders for some time now, and recent events on the Temple grounds had unfolded completely opposite to what they had expected. Thus the situation playing out in the Rafali star system had turned into a chess match. Any move by _Voyager_ triggered a countermove, and so on.

Since communication with both General Skellan's fleet and the _Delta Flyer_ was now impossible, Prime Minister Ketterlin had no way of knowing what was happening back on the Yukshaan home world. He could only hope that the Vryke's departure from his planet had freed its people entirely, allowing them to begin the long process of recovering from the damage that had been done. His own status as a government leader he considered to be in limbo; there was simply no way of knowing until they returned just how much power Major Cirillo Nexxim had managed to seize and hold on to during his brief ascension to power.

With Rafali Prime more fully protected from the creature than it had ever been before, Captain Janeway ordered _Voyager_ to begin moving off toward the other side of the solar system so that – once again – the creature would be forced to choose. Did it want to return its attention solely to the planet and immediately begin efforts to break through the new defensive shield, or did it want to first redeploy its concentrated particle field to the opposite side of the sun and confront the Starfleet crew?

If it chose not to attack the starship, then the creature was taking a very big chance that the Captain wasn't about to spring additional surprises upon it. Janeway wanted the Vryke to make another tough decision, but she really didn't care which option the creature ended up choosing. She and her crew had done their homework; they were ready to face the entity once and for all. If the alien did decide to try and coordinate a large scale attack on the Rafali home world, she would simply order _Voyager_ back into the fight. Janeway knew exactly what they had to do, but this time she wanted the Vryke to _sweat_. She had noticed in their first encounter that the entity didn't adapt to change very quickly… just as with a small child, unpredictable actions on their part were likely to keep it off balance and vulnerable.

* * *

_The Vryke studied the planet carefully, stroking its outer atmosphere gently with long, thin tendrils of invisible electromagnetic radiation. The deeper it probed toward the surface below, the more its elementary particles began to break apart and then dissolve completely. Seething with fury, the creature summoned up a massive bolt of its super-charged, space based lightning and sent an all-out attack crackling from the perimeter around its starship toward one of the planet's oceans. The tremendous golden burst of energy struck the upper atmosphere as intended, but only a small percentage of its intensity penetrated all the way through and struck the water below. The majority of the energy deflected almost instantaneously back out into space, vanishing in the distance beyond._

_Observing the result with growing frustration, the creature launched additional lightning charges toward the planet. Several more failures left it even more upset… no matter how it chose to alter the quantum signature of each new attack, the variation in the signature of its electrical discharges was automatically detected and compensated for by the new technology on the surface of Rafali Prime. The energy shield around the planet analyzed each incoming attack, compensated for it, and then safely redirected them back out into space. The Vryke supposed that it could resort to creating physical rocks again and using them to bombard the planet, but destroying its population was not its primary objective. Reaching its allies on the surface – specifically Derryn Akseth – was._

_To say the creature was a creative thinker and capable of rational thought would be true. However, the types of thought patterns common to such behavior had long since been relegated deep within the background of its mental core… accessed only occasionally during the incredibly rare instances when the Vryke needed to solve a problem. Its sanity had vanished completely from the core of its thoughts countless eons before during its long term isolation within the Questar gravity well. _

_Despite the fact that its mind was very similar to that of many other energy-based life forms, this alien's agenda was driven now solely by a relentless, single-minded selfishness. Whatever it wanted it would try to obtain, and whatever it chose to do with the environment and the life forms it encountered as it traveled through space… well, so far the Vryke considered all of them simple tools that it could manipulate however it liked for its own amusement._

Except that the creature kept running into enemies capable of defending themselves against it.

Once again due primarily to the direct interference of the Starfleet vessel's crew.

_What kind of power source could the Rafalians have discovered that could sustain a system capable of deflecting the Vryke's most powerful attacks? What type of device had been constructed that could analyze huge incoming electrical discharges and instantaneously calculate the necessary adjustments needed to repel such an attack? Angrily it reached out with its long, finger-like filaments and wrapped them around the entire fleet of Rafalian and stolen Yukshaan starships orbiting the planet. It powered down all of their systems except for life support… stranding the vessels for the time being in their high orbital slots. Should any of their Captains grow foolish and decide to change sides, they would now be unable to do so. Janeway and her colleagues would have no additional help to rely upon this time… this time, the Vryke would destroy them utterly._

All the while the Vryke's starship paused in planetary orbit as it carefully plotted its next move, _Voyager_ hovered on the other side of the sun while the crew aboard her observed everything that was taking place.

_With growing difficulty, the creature forced itself to calm down and reached deep into the darkest reaches of its mind in search of the few remaining traces of its rational thought process still capable of evaluating alternatives and problem solving. This process was very difficult for it, since thus far it had spent the majority of its time in the Delta Quadrant doing whatever it wanted to. If someone got in its way, the Vryke had simply dealt with them. If anyone disagreed with its decisions and objected to its orders, then it would provide a powerful demonstration of its capabilities to insure continued loyalty and guarantee future cooperation. But it could not use those same tactics against _Voyager_'s crew… at least not while they were able to hide from it and maintain such a strong defense against its influence._

_And now the _entire_ Rafali home world was equally protected, probably by cloaked generators hidden at various points on the planet's surface. Kathryn Janeway had made good on her threat to return to the planet and protect it from the Vryke's influence, and now that a reliable, functioning model was in place the starship would be able to warn anyone in the galaxy and supply them with a proven defense. Briefly it considered abandoning the area and tunneling once again into the distant past, perhaps even well before the current civilization now populating the galaxy had existed. Its thoughts darkened to near perfect fury at the prospect of slinking away in defeat, leaving _Voyager_ and Captain Janeway in charge of doing what it so far had not been able to successfully do… lead._

_Even as the creature watched hatefully, _Voyager_ vanished from sight. Concealed behind its cloaking shield, the starship was once again undetectable and able to move freely throughout the system. Full of desperate rage and a growing feeling of helplessness, the Vryke extended its tentacles farther into the star system and tried something new. As the starship disappeared, it had detected a brief space/time phase shift taking place. That was something which had somehow escaped its notice before… but not this time. _

_Ignoring the comfortable hold it normally maintained in subspace for a change, the Vryke began concentrating the focus of its tendrils on probing through normal space and time. It started far beyond the maximum negative range that would allow _Voyager_ to hide and still keep an eye on things, then began cycling slowly back toward zero. Once that was done it switched to the opposite side of the space/time spectrum, beginning with the maximum positive range and again probing slowly back down through different phase shifts until it neared zero._

_Suddenly the vague outline of the missing starship appeared next to the sun… grainy and so far merely a silhouette in the non-corporeal eyes of the Vryke, but it had definitely identified the starship's new location. The cloaked vessel was slowly moving back toward the home world's side of the sun, probably preparing to launch its next offensive… whatever that might be. The Vryke watched it for a few minutes until the Starfleet vessel abruptly vanished again. Ah, it thought to itself… they're randomly changing the phase shift to keep things difficult. Repeating its previous procedure in seconds this time, once again it located the enemy target._

_Feeling an inner satisfaction at its own cleverness and a growing hunger for the blood of its enemy, the creature maneuvered its captured starship away from the planet and innocently began traveling in what it hoped would be interpreted as a random search pattern. Patiently it probed the area around the planet and continued to spiral outward, choosing areas that gradually moved it closer and closer to _Voyager_. As the captured starship left Rafali Prime behind, the particle field surrounding it condensed into an even more focused, powerful field of energy. Everything from the outer edges of the solar system continued drifting inward as the Vryke continued to gather the majority of its non-corporeal body together._

_It continued to study Voyager, carefully tracking the starship's movements and measuring the timing between phase shifts. The electrostatic shield protecting the vessel was still of great concern to it… without a way to breach the barrier the vast majority of its powers were useless. The creature waited patiently for over two hours, watching for any sign that Captain Janeway and her crew were ready to attack. But the humans were demonstrating great restraint as well, and for still another half hour nothing changed. Then abruptly something odd happened… an electronic SIGNAL suddenly began transmitting from _Voyager_, piercing its cloaking device and traveling on a direct line toward Rafali Prime. Gleefully the Vryke attached its nearest tendrils to the transmission beam and followed it back to its source._

The time had come to put an end to Starfleet interference…

* * *

Delta Quadrant, _Delta Flyer_, Stardate 54952.0:

* * *

Harry Kim kneeled carefully in the surface dust of the small moon where he had landed the _Delta Flyer_, working diligently to repair the damage to the shuttle's port nacelle. Using a large, malleable repair patch from the ship's stores he had already sealed the small breach leading to the interior warp coil. Next he used a hand phaser to heat the damaged area to white hot intensity, activating the chemicals within the material so that they would bond with the cracked metal hull beneath. As soon as he ceased fire the temporary patch cooled rapidly, its surface area hardening almost instantly. 

The lost warp plasma presented an entirely different problem altogether, since the _Flyer_'s internal pump had also been damaged during the battle. Normally the pump was automatically adjusted by the main computer, allowing it to efficiently control the plasma flow to both nacelles. Without the computer's help, Harry was left with no choice but to attach a hose to the starboard side of the ship and drain plasma from the starboard nacelle into a small tank. Without a functioning internal pump and accurate diagnostics to rely upon, he took a wild ass guess and estimated the amount he would need using only a tricorder. Upon finishing, he rose to his feet and sighed heavily upon seeing firsthand the damage that had been done to the ship's outer hull.

_Explaining to Tom Paris that they had used the_ Flyer _as a weapon was going to be difficult_.

Even if his guess on the plasma amount was reasonably accurate, the shuttle's warp field would not be entirely stable until more effective repairs could be made back on _Voyager_. At the very least, Harry's temporary effort had given them a fresh chance to escape from the solar system as planned. Rising to his feet, the young Ensign paused for a moment to admire the large curve of the huge gas giant rising on the moon's horizon. Ignoring the direness of their predicament for just a few brief seconds, he remembered idly that it was views like this one that had drawn him to Starfleet in the first place. There was no end to the wondrous sights he had been able to view during his time traveling among the vast spiral arms of the Milky Way galaxy.

Satisfied that he had done all he could, Harry activated the Comm-link in his helmet. "Ensign Kim to Icheb, I'm almost done out here," he stated reassuringly. "I just have to finish up a few things and pack up my tools… stand by to beam me back aboard."

"_We're ready in here_," the young Brunali male responded. "_I've been checking over the electronics inside the Operations console and I'm not completely convinced the plasma pump is damaged… the problem could just be the warning sensors linked into the diagnostic system_."

Harry smiled with amusement as he carefully checked the remaining atmosphere content on his oxygen supply, noting that he had plenty left. His tricorder lit up brightly as the plasma transfer to the port nacelle completed. Leaning down carefully, the Ensign unhooked the transfer tubing that he had attached and tossed it casually to one side. Closing up his toolbox he attached the tricorder to his belt and then tapped his helmet's communication system. "Okay," he said enthusiastically. "I'm ready… energize when ready!"

All of the children had moved into the cockpit and were waiting for him when he materialized next to the port Ops station. Carefully Ensign Kim removed his helmet and took a deep breath, glad to be back inside the shuttle. The pressure suit greatly restricted movement in a zero gravity environment, slowing down detailed work considerably while its occupant wore the heavy boots and gloves. As he began taking the rest of the suit off, Icheb handed him a data padd and pointed victoriously at the results of the diagnostic he had run during Kim's absence.

"An internal scan of the plasma pump system clearly shows that the warning indicators have been damaged. It's quite probable that the pump itself is still functional."

Kim ruffled the hair on the boy's head, causing him to grimace at the unwanted display of affection. "I appreciate the work you've done Icheb, but we can't take that chance. Without a level one diagnostic – and that means _me_ opening up that entire assembly and testing it with my own two hands – there's no way I'm going to turn that thing on when the main computer says not to. If the pump also sustained damage, we could blow plasma all over the interior of the shuttle."

"So let's open it up and have a look!" His enthusiasm was obvious.

"It would take at least half a day to dismantle everything around the pump," pointed out Kim. "I should know… I helped build this thing. We can't sit around here any longer than we have to when there may be additional Rafalian ships in the area." Glancing into the cockpit area he confirmed that local and long range communications were still down. "We don't even know yet if Commander Data was successful in his attempt to disrupt the operations aboard that starship."

Ensign Kim laid the pressure suit aside for the moment and reseated himself at the helm. He powered up the _Flyer_'s maneuvering thrusters and then checked the plasma readings in both nacelles. Icheb's head appeared next to his. "How does everything look?" he asked curiously.

"I don't think we're going to be setting any speed records once we go to warp," Kim noted wryly. "But we should be able to safely make it to Yukshaan territory now."

Beside Icheb, Naomi Wildman's face unexpectedly appeared. "_After_ we go back and get Commander Data…" she said expectantly. "_Right?_"

Kim paused, trying to decide how best to respond to her. Up until now the children had been silent, but they were now looking at him with very concerned expressions on their faces. "Data is quite capable of taking care of himself," he told Naomi finally. "It's quite possible that he used one of that Yukshaan vessel's own shuttles or escape pods to get away once his sabotage mission was complete. He told me very specifically that he could look after himself and that we were _not_ to come back for him. Those were orders and not a request… I would have a _lot_ to answer for if I put the six of you in danger again."

Naomi studied his expression for a few seconds. "But _you_ can change the mission now, because _you're_ the acting Captain," she insisted.

Behind her, Governor Ruksin's children crowded forward. "You're not just going to leave him over there, are you?" asked Veliana. "The men who oppose my father are not exactly known for their compassion and kindness." She shook her head and her soft brown hair cascaded down her shoulders, accentuating her attractive features.

Harry leaned back in his seat and sighed heavily with frustration. "Captain Janeway gave Data strict orders to escort us out of the combat zone. When we were unable to do so he intervened, giving me the time I needed to repair the _Flyer_. He also issued additional orders backing the Captain… that I was to make certain that priority one was your safe delivery into Yukshaan hands. I intend to follow that order."

Icheb leaned across Harry's chest and flipped one of the helm controls. "With warp drive restored and the Vryke's particle cloud moving in toward the home world, our cloak is working again," he pointed out to Harry as the invisibility shield's power systems activated. "We can use it to hide while we locate the vessel that attacked us and beam Data out of there."

An uncomfortable silence ensued as Harry looked back at all the worried, expectant faces watching him. "I _can't!_" he declared sharply. "I have orders…"

Naomi put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "How many people were on that ship you beamed Data onto?" she asked. "How many people did our sensors detect?"

Icheb turned toward her. "Fifty-nine," he replied firmly, then crossed his arms and returned his own concerned gaze to Ensign Kim.

"You sent one person to outfight _fifty-nine_ people!" said Naomi angrily, looking as upset as Harry could recall having seen her. "I think you just might be expecting a little too much of him, don't you?"

Kim chuckled with dark amusement, actually allowing his mind to embrace the possibility of a rescue mission. "You've got to be kidding me," he said reluctantly. "Data is an _android_… his mechanical body gives him the strength of at least ten normal men…"

"And you sent him to fight _fifty-nine!_" Naomi pointed out. "He _saved_ us and now it's our turn… we have to go back and rescue him!" All four of Governor Ruksin's children nodded in agreement, and Harry noticed that Icheb was also quite obviously in agreement with them.

"Et tu Icheb?" he asked politely. Icheb's expression grew puzzled and Harry laughed at his reaction. "I see Seven hasn't assigned you to read Shakespeare yet." He turned in his seat and glanced toward the children. "We have to get _all_ of you out of the combat zone," he reminded them once again. "Those are my orders. If we could contact _Voyager_ and the Captain I might be able to convince her…"

"_You're_ the acting Captain of _this _ship, aren't you?" Naomi reminded him fiercely. "_Aren't you?_"

Harry took a few seconds to think the matter over and finally, reluctantly nodded. "Yes," he acknowledged. "As the ranking officer, I technically took over command of the _Flyer_ once Data left. But that doesn't mean that I can just…"

"As long as you serve with Captain Janeway, you have to follow her _rules_," Naomi told him, her compassionate nature now totally unleashed. Beside her, Icheb watched the entire affair with a dry, amused smile. "If you want to be a good Captain, then you have to follow the Captain's rules just like everyone else."

Ensign Kim lifted his gaze to the cockpit window and then back to her. "Captain's rules?" he asked with sincere puzzlement.

Naomi leaned forward against the side of his chair and fixed her own expectant eyes on his. "Captain Janeway once told me that there are three rules to always remember about being a starship Captain," she said informatively. "Number one is that you have to keep your shirt tucked in. The second is that you have to go down with the ship… Data has already _broken_ that one by leaving to try and save us." She paused, her eyes flashing with desperation as she pleadingly gauged his response to her argument. "And the third and final rule is that you never, _never_ abandon a member of your crew. _That's_ the most important one of them all!"

Harry found himself studying all of the flashing green indicators on the helm console and noting that everything _was_ indeed functioning normally again. "You know," he decided suddenly, "we have restored both warp drive and our cloaking capability." He double-checked the cloaking system just to verify that they were indeed invisible. "Perhaps we can have a look around the area where we left Data just to see if that ship is still hanging around. If he's still on board and has managed to hide somewhere, we can locate his Comm-badge and beam him back aboard."

"Yes!" Naomi shouted in triumph, turning and hugging Icheb tightly. Behind her, Governor Ruksin's children also cheered, jumping up and down as they too hugged each other.

"We need to go save Data!" declared little Kyler with a big smile on his round, cheery face.

Ensign Kim held up a forefinger in warning. "_IF_," he said emphatically, "we run into _any_ additional enemy ships or are unable to rely on the cloak, we're going to abandon the search. I would not be able to defend myself against later scrutiny from Captain Janeway if I put a damaged shuttle like this one at risk against those larger vessels. I admit that the _Flyer_ can take a beating, but it already has on this occasion… one more good solid hit with those plasma charges of theirs and we're goners."

Icheb sat down at the port Ops station and buckled himself in. "Let's go get Data," he urged.

Harry turned back to the helm and began powering up their maneuvering thrusters. "It's settled then," he decided. "We're going back to that starship to see if he's still there."

Moments later the _Delta Flyer_ lifted off from the small, cratered moon's surface and headed back toward the stars.

* * *

Delta Quadrant, _Kafic Relente_, Stardate 54952.0:

* * *

Commander Data succeeded in deceiving the Rafalian bridge crew into believing that he was actually cutting his way through the outer hatch on Deck 2. After leaving his phaser carefully aimed and set for continual fire, he had sprinted toward the aft end of the ship and discovered a large balcony opening out into the huge shuttle bay below. The bay itself was massive in size and dropped all the way from the ceiling of Deck 3 above him to the floor of Deck 5 far below. At the very bottom he could see the starship's four shuttles, and after accessing his internal database for additional tactical information he concluded that the probability of success during the next stage of his plan was quite high. 

Leaping over the balcony railing he dropped three stories to the distant floor below, landing with an audible _'THUD'_ that echoed throughout the hangar. Although he was reasonably certain that the bay was deserted, the android carefully checked the area for signs of life. Alarm klaxons had been sounding the alert for the entire duration of his stay aboard the _Kafic Relente_, and they continued to howl now. Holding a captured plasma rifle at the ready, Data walked swiftly across the seams marking the pair of huge doors in the hangar floor. Below them was the massive utility elevator shaft that descended two more decks, providing easy access to the port and starboard cargo bays on Deck 7. Behind those doors and toward the rear of the bay sat the unguarded shuttle craft.

The Commander popped the hatch open on the nearest of them and settled into the pilot seat. He activated the shuttle's systems and used its operations console to link directly to the _Kafic Relente_'s main computer. The Rafalian crew currently running the captured Yukshaan starship had changed the wireless prefix code, but since it was a simple ten digit number Data was slowed only slightly. General Skellan had provided him with plenty of tactical information, allowing him to identify and disable the software running in the main computer's background memory that governed the prefix code. Without it, a recognizable command received wirelessly from _any_ work station automatically became law. Within seconds _he_ was the new law, and he sat patiently waiting for a few minutes until Captain Darro panicked and issued the order to transfer command functions to engineering. Data watched the entire process from the shuttle's monitors, and once the bridge crew had finished ceding control of the starship to engineering he made his next move.

Working quickly he interfaced with the damaged engineering systems, bypassing the normal protocols and directly accessing the software that regulated anti-matter containment within the warp core. He began to slowly adjust the parameters that stabilized the protective shield around the anti-matter, knocking them out of alignment just enough to trigger additional alarms to sound. From his long experience serving aboard starships, the android knew all too well that the officers on the bridge would be crazy with worry… loss of containment was one of the few malfunctions on a starship capable of destroying it instantly.

_Now the bridge crew was paying the price for the impulsive decision to give away their command access._

Data was very careful with the adjustments that he made to the force field protecting the warp core. He lowered it just enough to trigger the alarm and subsequent protective measures around engineering, making certain that he did not lower it enough to release anti-matter radiation in the process. Most of the people working on Decks 8, 9, and 10 would be ordered to evacuate immediately, escaping back into the forward areas of the ship before the large, heavily shielded emergency doors closed behind them. However, the Commander also knew from long experience that at least several loyal crewmen would choose to remain behind in hopes of stopping the disaster in progress and saving the ship.

_Data saw no reason to seriously injure any of them._

Once he was certain that engineering had been evacuated, he reversed the adjustments he had made to the containment field. As the core stabilized and the engineering alarms shut off, Data used the shuttle's systems one last time to lock the _Kafic Relente_'s main computer and command functions safely behind a one hundred digit password stored only within his positronic memory. Although he did not wish to seriously injure anyone aboard the vessel, its crew was quite obviously engaged in hostile mischief. For that alone Data decided that they deserved some time alone to think their orders over a bit more carefully. Floating in the vacuum of space for a time as they tried to figure out how to regain control of their ship would keep them busy. If they ended up having to be rescued, then Captain Darro and his crew would also be humbled as well.

Data stepped away from the shuttle and back onto the deck, flinching as an unexpected bolt of bright blue energy struck him squarely on his right shoulder. The high intensity plasma bolt instantly severed the arm from his body – his systems threatened to overload from the trauma. The arm fell to the deck with its torn, damaged end crackling and snapping from the residual internal power that suddenly had no place to go. The android glanced briefly at the plasma rifle still held tightly in the fingers of his amputated arm and decided against retrieving the weapon. There was no way to set the Rafalian weaponry to stun and he maintained his determined focus not to injure anyone if he could possibly avoid it.

The decision allowed the marine who had unexpectedly regained consciousness and decided to check the hangar bay to shoot him twice more in the torso as the android sped rapidly toward him. The blasts seared through Data's Starfleet uniform and burned dark holes in the metal beneath his pseudo-skin. He reached the startled soldier in seconds and plucked the rifle from his grasp before he could fire again. Using the butt of the weapon, Data struck him solidly on the back of the head and once again knocked him senseless. Then he glanced around the hangar bay, noting silently that the shuttles still offered the crew a chance to launch them in pursuit of the _Delta Flyer_. If one soldier had remembered to check the hangar bay, others would as well. Slinging both weapon and the stunned soldier across his left shoulder, the android turned toward the nearby control station and sped rapidly toward the transparent, enclosed booth protecting it.

Once inside he lowered the soldier to the floor and then used the console in front of him to verify that he still had access to the key functions he had left on-line. Next Data opened the outer hangar doors built into the ceiling of Deck 3. As they slowly retracted, the entire bay depressurized except for the protected area within the control booth. Data waited until the atmosphere within the bay had bled completely away and then released the docking clamps holding the four shuttles in place. One by one they lifted off from the hangar floor and floated upward and out into space. Two of them bumped together as they rose and began tumbling awkwardly until they finally cleared the bay completely and were no longer visible.

With the shuttles gone, Data closed the hangar doors and promptly restored full life support to the area outside of the booth. He disabled the console, linking it in with the rest of the starship's control stations that he had password protected and then returned to the shuttle bay's interior. Behind him the soldier remained unconscious, so the Commander simply left him where he lay. He walked rapidly across the hangar, noticing as he did so that several key motor functions in his upper body were now responding to his movements intermittently… undoubtedly a direct result of the weapons fire that had damaged his body. With any luck he would be able to complete the rest of his mission before the steadily rising number of malfunctions grew even more serious.

Within his positronic brain, the diagnostic activity in his neural net began quickly logging failures one after another. The damage to his chest was not as bad as it appeared visually, but enough circuit pathways had been destroyed to prevent him from functioning at peak efficiency. Nevertheless, Data opened an access hatchway in one of the doors above the utility elevator, noticing that a ladder led down into the darkness of the elevator shaft below. Both lift systems were parked at the bottom of Deck 7, so Data dropped through the hatch, falling completely past Deck 6 and landing on top of the portside elevator. The access hatchway leading into the elevator car itself was locked and not even the mega-strength in the android's left arm could open it.

Flipping the plasma rifle into position, Data fired it repeatedly until the white hot energy bursts opened a gap large enough for him to fit through. He stepped over the opening, ignoring the dark smoke that still rose from its charred edges, and dropped down to the floor of the elevator on Deck 7. The interior was a mirror image of the starboard elevator, both of which were huge. They had been carefully designed to allow cargo of any size to be moved down from the shuttle bay above into the storage pods at the center of the ship. Keeping his captured rifle at the ready, Data used the manual override control system to open the elevator doors. Watching carefully for additional enemy movement, he moved out into the corridor of Deck 7, ironically only a few dozen meters from the spot where he had first beamed aboard the _Kafic Relente_.

Data noted silently that thirty-six minutes had now elapsed since his initial arrival, so he wasn't at all surprised to discover that Corporal Nass and the original team of marines he had fought with were gone. Most of the crew would now be reassembling and dividing into three groups: one to protect Decks 1 and 2, one to investigate his activity within the shuttle bay, and the third would no doubt be assigned to protect the engineering team on Decks 8, 9 and 10 until they could regain control of main engineering. With the emergency doors in place around the warp core, that meant most of the vessel's crew was now precisely where the android wanted them… in positions where they would be unable to interfere with the remainder of his plan.

Moving to the rear of Deck 7, he found an access hatch that led into a crawlway between decks. Like the entrances and exits to main engineering, these areas of the starship also had blast doors in place that had closed during the short-term emergency containment failure that he had caused. These doors, however, were much less durable than the larger ones needed to seal off whole corridors. A few more shots from the plasma rifle allowed Data to move through one of the protected areas directly above the engine core. After that, he simply waited until the people walking back and forth below him were in the most tactically advantageous position for his next move. Then he dropped down from the opening in the ceiling and landed in the center of four very extremely startled Rafalian engineers.

Since Data was the only one holding a weapon, he quickly ordered the startled engineers into one of the back rooms and locked all four of them inside. As he closed the door behind them and locked it tightly, he felt additional malfunctions within his torso begin to noticeably affect his ability to walk and use his remaining left arm. Working quickly he moved back to the main console around the warp core, noticing as he did so that the engineering team had been trying futilely to break his encryption protocols that now safely protected the starship's command functions. Isolated and alone within engineering, Commander Data was now in effect the new Captain of the _Kafic Relente_. Until such time as the rest of the crew attacked and regained control of the vessel, he was completely in charge of all systems throughout the ship.

_So Data immediately used his authorization to access the warp core and shut it completely down._

Even if Captain Darro and his crew managed to retake engineering, it would be quite some time before they were able to bypass his encryption algorithms and restart the engines. All members of the Rafalian crew aboard the stolen Yukshaan starship were now – in effect – his prisoners. But he was a warden without any guards to back him up, and the malfunctions in his body continued to grow continually worse. Dropping into a sitting position next to the primary engineering control console, Data waited patiently for the rest of his body to fail. Already, he could hear the faint sound of plasma weapons firing on the other side of one of the blast doors. Eventually they would cut their way in and this time he would be unable to stop them.

The only part of his plan that he had been unable to complete was to escape to an area near the outside of the ship and jettison his body into space. He could still attempt to do so, but glancing down at his chest he verified that his Comm-badge had been destroyed along with most of the front of his uniform. Without a communicator to send out a locator signal his body would be much more difficult for _Voyager_ to locate, especially floating amongst all of the debris created by the massive gravitational conflict between the moons and the enormous gas giant they orbited. So Commander Data sat quietly on the floor of the engineering room and waited, knowing that his mind would still be functioning when the soldiers finally cut their way through the blast doors.

* * *

It didn't take Ensign Kim long to pilot the _Delta Flyer_ back to the area they had vacated. He quickly located the _Kafic Relente_ on sensors, noting with satisfaction that it was drifting awkwardly in a high orbit around the gas giant. As they flew closer, he was unable to locate his android colleague's Comm-badge signal, so Harry ordered Icheb to try scanning for the distinct signature of the tripolymer composites unique to Data's body. Within seconds Icheb located a large source of them in the engineering section. Locking onto the humanoid form there, he beamed the android back aboard their small shuttle. 

All of the children were still in the cockpit when Commander Data materialized. Harry sucked in his breath at the unexpected sight of their friend, noticing that the children were also gasping with shock. The android had lost his right arm and was sitting motionless on the floor with two huge holes burned into his chest. None of the enemy weapons fire had penetrated all the way through his metallic body, but it was quite obvious that Data had sustained severe physical damaged during his battle for control of the starship.

"Perhaps you kids should wait in the aft compartment," the Ensign suggested, pulling out a tricorder and using it to run a quick analysis of Data's functionality. "It looks like the good Commander here had a rough time over there." Carefully and gently he helped the android to his feet and then buckled him securely into the seat behind the starboard support console. Data remained motionless for a moment before smiling weakly with gratitude.

"We want to stay right here," Dohri insisted. Naomi and the other children nodded their heads in agreement. "We want to stay with Data."

Data's head swiveled slowly to face Kim. "You were ordered not to come back," he said slowly, pausing briefly between each word. His eyes stared straight ahead and his tone of voice was a monotone. "It is a good thing for you that I was successful in my efforts to disable the _Kafic Relente_. Otherwise, Captain Janeway might have wanted a word in private once we returned to _Voyager_." He winked at the embarrassed Ensign.

Harry smiled sheepishly in response. "I got outvoted," he told Data. "We managed to restore both warp drive and our cloaking capabilities. Without them I wouldn't have risked coming back here – but since no one can see us, the decision was a much easier one to make."

"They were breaking into engineering," Data responded, still speaking slowly. "I was not looking forward to being captured by them." He paused, and they could see dozens of red, green and yellow lights flashing among the metallic surface of his face and body, indicating areas where functionality had not yet been damaged. Many of the tiny lights along his chest had gone completely dark, however, and Harry also noticed that a majority of his artificial skin had been destroyed by the intense heat of the plasma charges that had struck him. "My mind is okay, but my body is in need of major repair," Data continued. "But that can wait… for now, I recommend that we leave this area without further delay."

Naomi and the other children crowded protectively around Data. "You're safe now," Naomi told him softly. "We'll get you back to _Voyager_ and Lt. Torres will fix you up in no time."

Ensign Kim seated himself at the helm and began moving the _Flyer_ away from the area. To avoid leaving behind a detectable fuel trail he stuck primarily to the ship's maneuvering thrusters, piloting them quickly away from the larger starship and back toward open space. As he flew them closer to freedom all of the engineering status indicators on his console unexpectedly flashed from green to red. "_Warning… warp core malfunction, emergency shutdown initiated_," the voice of the main computer stated flatly.

Harry sighed heavily at the unexpected announcement. "Oh oh," he said with disappointment as their major source of power quickly shut down. "I need you kids to get back in the aft compartment right away," he ordered sternly, glancing back over his shoulder so they could see that he was serious. "Get back in your seats and buckle yourselves in."

Kyler looked at him with a puzzled frown. "What about Data?" he asked.

The android glanced up at the face of the little boy standing over him. "I will be fine," he said reassuringly to Kyler. "The important thing is that I am back among my friends now. Only my body has been damaged… and that can be repaired."

"I'm _not_ kidding… get back in those seats kids," Harry repeated, returning his focus to the helm console. "You promised that you would follow instructions, remember?" The cloaking device indicators also suddenly switched from green to red, leaving no doubt in the Ensign's mind that they were now fully visible to the enemy ship. "Data, just how successful were you in damaging that starship?" he asked curiously. "Can they still follow or fire on us?"

From his motionless position sitting at the support station, Data chuckled with positronic-generated amusement. "I busted them up," he declared with a wry grin. "Their command functions are completely inaccessible, even if they manage to retake control of engineering." He turned his head slightly and smiled at Kim. "They are not going anywhere in the near future Ensign Garvin," he promised. "I can assure you of that."

"Ensign _Garvin?_" Kim's gaze shifted toward Icheb as he listened to the android. From his seat at the operations console, the Brunali shrugged to demonstrate puzzlement of his own.

"Yes," Data responded politely. "It is good to see you again Garvin. Where is Gia? I would very much like to see how she has been getting along since my last visit to Barkon IV."

Harry breathed deeply and then refocused his thoughts. "Okay Commander," he said with growing concern. "I think you were damaged just a _little_ more seriously than you think you were… but you're right, it _is_ time to get out of here." He continued moving the _Flyer_ back toward the pair of moons that they had – so far – successfully managed to use as a hiding place. "We have several hours of impulse power in reserve, but even with that our only other option would be to return to Rafali Prime. Without warp drive we're not going to be able to leave the system, so I guess the remaining alternative is to hide again until it's safe to come out."

"I've been checking over possible answers to what might have gone wrong," Icheb told him. "The computer diagnostics show that your repair work to the exterior of the port nacelle was excellent, but for some reason we have somehow lost containment of the plasma again. Readings from the port nacelle indicate that your replacement plasma has all leaked away… there must be additional damaged areas that we were unable to detect."

"And I know right where it is too," Kim said with frustration. "The other damaged areas are probably on the _inside_ edge of the nacelle… whatever sliced through the outside continued all the way through to the interior of the ship. Warp drive temporarily came back on-line until the warp core finished reheating and then the plasma was stimulated enough to begin leaking again. The plasma I transferred over is probably floating around all over the inside of the undercarriage below us." He took a deep breath and shook his head with disgust. "Remember when I told you we could end up with plasma all over the undercarriage? I think that's just what has happened despite my best efforts."

"If the damage is internal, can't we fix it this time from inside the _Flyer?_"

Harry shook his head in response. "Not without dismantling a lot of the deck plating in the aft compartment," he decided. "Unless we do that, there's no way to get at the damaged systems, and right now we need the emergency seating in place to protect the children." He scanned the internal diagnostic readouts, checking for additional signs of damage to their systems. "Icheb, I want you to open all of the outer access hatches on the undercarriage… if we vent the plasma down there directly into space we won't be in danger of it igniting."

The young man quickly complied with the order. "So what do we do now?" he asked curiously. "I've tried subspace communications repeatedly… General Skellan's fleet is well out of range behind large patches of Vryke interference in the Yukshaan system. I've tried contacting _Voyager_, but there is an even larger highly charged particle cloud between their position at Rafali Prime and us… transmissions are being blocked both in front of and behind us."

As they discussed the situation further, the _Delta Flyer_ continued moving back through the varying levels of gravity surrounding the gas giant and its multiple moons. The view was spectacular, much better than simply traveling through open space. Icheb, however, found himself extremely frustrated and not in the mood to sightsee. He continued to suggest alternatives, letting Harry analyze them and make the final decision as to their next move.

Kim pondered the matter for quite some time. "I still believe our best move is to get a distress call out, so that someone friendly knows we've run into trouble," he pointed out. "If I divert additional power from the impulse engines, do you think we could poke a transmission through to Captain Janeway or the General at either location?"

Icheb shook his head. "No," he decided. "I wouldn't want to do that… if we don't get a response back from them then there's no way to guarantee that our message got through. There's also a lot of risk involved, since sending a message will draw any other enemy ships in this area right toward us."

Data continued to stare straight ahead, but a small smile appeared suddenly at the corner of his mouth. "If you cannot contact anyone locally, then how about a long distance transmission?" he suggested. "Call someone who is not in direct line with the areas of greatest interference and have them relay a distress call for you."

Both Ensign Kim and Icheb turned and stared at the android in awe. "Now _there's_ an idea that might be worth trying," Harry decided. "How about it Icheb… can we do what Data is suggesting and possibly hail someone else… someone who isn't in direct line with the interference?"

The Brunali male's fingers were hastily tapping commands into his console. "I'm already on it sir!" he promised enthusiastically.

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54952.1:

* * *

"This is getting us nowhere," Janeway said with obvious frustration, running the fingers of her right hand through her bright red hair. "We've been playing tag with the Vryke for over two hours now… quite obviously it has figured out a way to locate us even after we phase shift. It's just toying with us while it pulls all of its tendrils together so that once it's ready it can hit us with everything it has." 

Beside her Chakotay nodded. "For what it's worth, I agree with you Captain," he said supportively, watching the sensor map of Vryke activity around Rafali Prime continue to grow more and more concentrated. "Perhaps we should coax it away from this location for now… at least that would force it to reassemble its network of particles somewhere else."

The Captain studied the shining star field on the viewscreen as she thought the matter over. "Tuvok?" she asked curiously, glancing back over her shoulder.

The Vulcan raised an eyebrow. "Until we have a definite reason to do otherwise, I think we should stick with our plan… the probability of success remains quite high."

From the helm station, Tom Paris nodded in agreement. "I agree that the plan is a good one Captain, except so far no one is taking the _bait!_" he growled with more than a little frustration.

Janeway chuckled at Paris' outburst, sympathizing with him at least a little bit since she too was growing fatigued. "Easy Mr. Paris," she said comfortingly. "We've still got a lot of Yukshaan delegates and Rafalians on board, many of whom brought transmitters of one sort or another with them. Even though we've prohibited their use, I suspect that there's still at least one traitor in their midst. Sooner or later the lack of any news of what's happening is going to cause that person to panic, and when they do I expect that they'll give away their position."

From the Engineering station, Lt. Torres glanced curiously at the Captain, then at Tuvok. "I never saw any listing of potential suspects in the briefing materials we received." She smiled at the Vulcan's sudden attempt at a non-reaction. "_Give_," she demanded suspiciously. "Who are the prime suspects?"

Tuvok paused for a moment, waiting until the Captain nodded at him. "Anyone who did not willingly turn in their transmitting devices to us when we announced that they shouldn't be used," he said in response. "There are three people we are watching closely… one of whom was a senior officer on the ship that Governor Ruksin used to escape from Rafali Prime."

They waited another fifteen minutes before the tactical console suddenly beeped for attention. As several warning indicators sounded unexpectedly, Janeway smiled as soon as she recognized the distinctive sound. "_That_ will be our traitor," she predicted with a wry smile.

"It's about time," Chakotay declared, mirroring Paris' frustration.

"The signal is coming from somewhere on Deck 5," reported Tuvok, continuing to analyze the outgoing transmission. "As expected, the Rafalian senior officer from the _Maksotta_ appears to be the traitor. He is attempting to use a subspace transmitter to contact someone on the home world. Since we have had no contact with Governor Ruksin since his return, the traitor is quite probably seeking new orders from his contact within the government."

Chakotay studied the access console next to his seat. "I'll try and trace the specific person he's trying to reach on Rafali Prime," he told Tuvok. "You locate the area on _Voyager_ where the signal is coming from."

Next to Tuvok, Seven glanced up alarmingly at Janeway. "You are about to get your wish Captain," she said ominously. "Bits and pieces of the Rafalian transmission are phasing back into normal space/time as they penetrate our cloaking device. The Vryke is following it right back to us… it may already be on board."

Janeway nodded to Tuvok. "Implement defensive security measures on all decks."

"_That will not be necessary_," stated the Vryke's familiar, triumphant voice from the communications console. "_I have finally caught up to your vessel and captured it. At last I have found you Captain Janeway… at last I will finally be able to put an end to your non-stop meddling in affairs that are not your own_."

As it spoke an enormous energy surge surrounded the vessel, overloading several key consoles on the bridge. Everyone stepped immediately away from them, having carefully reviewed _Columbia_'s logs and recognizing the potential danger. Clouds of smoke drifted lazily across the bridge as Tuvok stepped close enough to the tactical console to review its analysis.

"Our warp drive has temporarily overloaded and has gone off-line," the Vulcan informed them. "That means the cloaking device and electrostatic shield are also no longer functioning."

"_I am too powerful now even for your defenses_," the Vryke declared. "_In a few more days I will also be capable of overwhelming your planetary shield. Nothing can stop me now. Nothing!_"


	20. Destiny's Voyager

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter XIX: Destiny's Voyager**

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54952.2:

* * *

The bridge crew remained silent for several long moments due to the completely unpredictable nature of the situation they found themselves in. Suspecting that the Vryke was nearby and possibly tracking _Voyager_ was enough to fuel anyone's adrenalin, but hearing the creature actually speak to them removed all doubt as to its location. The strange, hostile alien entity had discovered them at last and – even as it spoke to them – was busy taking control of their starship. 

There was a brief moment of silence after it announced its presence, chuckling gleefully as it did so. Finally, Captain Janeway rose to her feet and smiled dryly. "I should warn you, we're quite familiar by now with your preferred method of prisoner treatment once you capture a starship," she informed the Vryke. "Are you willing to negotiate with us this time, or should we start blowing up critical systems that take days to repair… perhaps even the entire ship?"

"_Negotiations require each participant to offer something that the other wants_," the Vryke responded almost immediately. "_You have _nothing_ that I want Captain Janeway… I am now in total control of everything that happens within the Trade Coalition. Who in this Quadrant can hope to stop me if you cannot?_"

"We have plenty to offer," countered Janeway, gesturing toward the spacious bridge and the people surrounding her. "It is true that you are now in a position to influence or destroy my ship. But _Voyager_ is a powerful starship with advanced weaponry and a maximum warp velocity far greater than you are currently used to. My crew and I familiarized ourselves with the techniques that you have utilized in the past to capture vessels, so I can assure you we have made preparations to terminate your control of this ship at any time." She leaned casually against the handrail circling the center of the bridge. "But that could change… _If_ you help us end the fighting within the Trade Coalition and its member planets, we might be willing to help you achieve a few of your own objectives. But that won't happen unless you agree first to talk with us."

"_It is unlikely that you are willing to negotiate anything Captain Janeway_," the creature decided, a distinct note of arrogance prevalent in its tone. "_I do not believe you expected me to to capture your ship… that you are now stalling for time in hopes that your crew can come up with a defense against my powers. I assure you, they cannot… my influence now dominates everything within the Yukshaan and Rafali star systems. I can return to Minister Ketterlin's home world at any time and retake control of his entire race. So I ask you, what possible reason could I have for sparing your ship and crew? What could I possibly need from you?_"

"You can return to the Yukshaan system at warp _four_," pointed out Janeway. "_Voyager_, with my crew's cooperation, is capable of moving you back and forth between the two star systems much faster. And… eventually I would think you're going to want to expand your influence even farther, to cultures in other star systems. We have observed firsthand that it takes a great deal of time to carve those subspace tunnels of yours, and we have also proven that our standard space-based weaponry can collapse them in minutes and render them completely useless to you. You're searching for a way to co-exist with the life forms in this universe, so if we offer you a chance to remain in charge of everything – which is obviously what you're after – then perhaps you could grant us mere mortals who serve under your command a few privileges in return."

There was a long pause after the Captain completed her last sentence, during which time everyone waited with growing anticipation. The bridge systems flickered unexpectedly and temporarily lost power, then reactivated normally as though nothing problematic had ever taken place. From her position next to Tuvok, Seven observed the entire process with great trepidation. "Captain… just as it did a century ago aboard _Enterprise_, the Vryke is searching through our memory banks and copying all of our data into its memory."

"If that is the case, then it should be aware of the directive Starfleet Command passed along to us in their most recent message," spoke up Chakotay, glancing toward the Comm-system where the bodiless voice continued to speak from. "We have been ordered to find a way to destroy you," he told the Vryke. "And if we can't do that, then you have also seen that we have orders to destroy _Voyager_ if need be in order to keep you from using its technology against the people of this region. Do you have any doubts that we would hesitate to do so if you force our hand?"

"_Yes I believe you would destroy your own starship_," admitted the Vryke. "_That is certainly a tactical move that has been used against me in the past._" The entity fell silent for a moment, during which time Seven monitored its progress on the tactical console. She watched curiously while the creature accessed all of their data and assimilated it into its memory. "_Hmmm, I notice that a lot of the personal and official logs that this crew normally keeps have not been filed in recent days. Is your crew growing lazy or are you hiding something from me Captain?_"

"We're hiding as much as we possibly can," Janeway responded grimly. "You'll also find that certain key systems have already been isolated from our main computer. We know very well what you are capable of, so we made certain that we would have as many bargaining chips as possible at our disposal if you managed to breach our defenses. I myself want very badly to survive… after all, I have repeatedly promised my crew that I would find a way to someday return them home to their families."

"_Your logs do contain many entries on that subject_," noted the creature. "_Your starship is alone here in the Delta Quadrant… and I am very familiar with loneliness. I have found many entries in your log emphasizing your strong desire to return to your own side of the galaxy._"

"Yes," admitted the Captain truthfully. "During the past seven years, we have tried everything we could possibly think of to get home. Up until now we have occasionally discovered a shortcut here or there, but nothing sufficient to significantly shorten our journey. Then _you_ came along with your ability to create subspace ruptures… Quite naturally we are very interested in striking some sort of deal with you, since this proven ability could easily get us home."

The Vryke giggled hysterically, its laughter shrill and condescending. "_I notice that you were originally stranded in the Delta Quadrant because of your willingness to sacrifice the Caretaker's Array to save the lives of strangers_," it cackled. "_You follow Starfleet rules and regulations too closely, and because of that your crew suffers. I fail to see why they have not mutinied against you long ago and appointed someone smarter to lead them_."

"I have never regretted that decision," stated Janeway sincerely, seething a bit at the Vryke's ongoing arrogance. "If faced with a similar situation again, I would again put the lives of innocent Ocampans first. Starfleet has always been dedicated to exploring space and meeting new life forms – you for instance. You certainly qualify as one of the most unique discoveries in our entire history."

"_Your statements concur with your log entries_," agreed the invading entity. "_Captain Ransom and the starship _Equinox _presented your crew with another opportunity to return home, but you vehemently opposed him at every turn… even to the point of firing weapons at a fellow Starfleet crew. Truly you are a failure as a leader, Captain Janeway. If it wasn't for your misguided compassion, you and your crew would be home already_."

"If you've scanned all of our data banks, then you can confirm we have all kinds of information and technology available that could greatly assist you in your efforts to reshape the cultures here in the Delta Quadrant," Chakotay observed. "All you have to do is assist us in getting back to the Alpha Quadrant, and we'll _give_ you _Voyager_… you can put a Rafalian or Yukshaan replacement crew aboard her and use it as your flagship."

"_Do not_ lie _to me First Officer Chakotay_," the Vryke declared angrily. "_I know all about your peace talks with the Stefe'en, not to mention the meetings with the Yukshaan and Rafalian delegates that have taken place here on_ Voyager. _Those meetings all had a central objective dedicated primarily to my complete and utter destruction. If I'm reading your logs correctly, you have been unwilling to compromise prior to know. Obviously my unexpected arrival here has changed your minds on this matter_."

"Since you're here now, at the very least we can agree to negotiate, can't we?" Janeway's expression appeared sincere. "You have all of the knowledge available in our data banks at your disposal, but you still require people to operate those systems and make them work for you. We could help you with that… come to some sort of agreement. If you assist us in finding a way back to the Alpha Quadrant, perhaps I _will_ let you keep _Voyager_, but I need to know first that the people here will be safe. Can we agree to discuss this matter further?"

Again there was a prolonged silence as the alien entity thought the matter over.

"_I do not believe you_," the Vryke said finally. "_I think you are trying to deceive me in some manner… your behavior to date suggests that you would_ never _leave these people behind if you felt that their long term safety was threatened. Such actions would not be in keeping with your past behavior, certainly not if the information contained within your personal logs is accurate_."

Janeway glanced over toward B'Elanna and their eyes met. At the Captain's command the Chief Engineer was ready to implement a short-fuse detonation that they had rigged as their last resort… their final option if the Vryke chose not to cooperate. As Janeway had already pointed out, many of _Voyager_'s key systems had been carefully isolated from the main computer as a precaution against Vryke interference.

All of the normal self destruction protocols regulated by the main computer had been disabled and were no longer active… Lt. Torres could destabilize the warp core and blow up the entire ship within seconds of receiving Janeway's authorization to do so. She had received orders to stay in her seat throughout the crisis – regardless of where anyone else went and no matter what anyone said. If the Captain left the bridge, then an emergency Comm-badge signal was all she would need. Either the creature would agree to talk matters over or they would annihilate it, even if they had to sacrifice the starship and everyone aboard her in order to do it.

While it had kept its higher brain functions located aboard the Yukshaan starship, the Vryke had already proven it was virtually invulnerable. Its proven abilities to generate defensive shields and attack approaching ships could probably even defend against a Borg attack. That was why Janeway's command team had voted to trick it into letting the entity believe that it had outwitted them. By allowing the creature to board _Voyager_, the Captain was making certain they had at least one opportunity to destroy it. Even without a physical body the alien was still a living being… an anti-matter explosion at the very heart of its thought process would very likely leave the rest of its body helpless or dead. A starship warp engine explosion would disrupt both matter and energy, instantly this time before the creature could flee to a safer location.

"Can we agree to negotiate?" Janeway repeated. She placed her hands on her hips, never once taking her eyes off of Torres. If the creature grew disinterested in _Voyager_ and tried to leave, they would have no choice but to try and kill it, never knowing for certain whether or not they were successful. However, all senior officers had agreed privately that the Vryke's greed would leave it susceptible to the temptation of their advanced technology. It would _want_ to keep the Starfleet vessel at _any_ cost, so they had all been fairly certain it would agree to negotations.

The wait this time as the Vryke considered its options seemed interminable.

"_Yes, I think we should discuss this situation further_," the creature decided, the tone of its voice holding a distinct note of approval. "_I am still in control of your vessel, after all, and can destroy you at any time. I find myself very intrigued by your logs and all of the fascinating information that your crew has gathered during your time here in the Delta Quadrant… particularly this long-distance communications link you have established with Starfleet. I could possibly widen their micro-wormhole in a fraction of the time it would take me to create a subspace tunnel of my own. If you please me sufficiently and continue to cooperate, I may send your crew home… but you will have to let me keep_ Voyager."

Idmund Ketterlin's face paled noticeably. "You can't do that Captain!" he said heatedly. "You _can't_ just abandon us to the whims of this… this _monster_…"

Janeway glanced at him scornfully. "No one is abandoning anyone just yet Minister," she assured him. "Gather your diplomatic team together and meet us in the mess hall. We're going to work out an agreement with this creature and end this situation peacefully."

_That's right_, the Vryke thought gleefully as it watched and listened to the Captain prattle on. _All it had to do was let Janeway think that it was open to her brand of diplomacy… let her think that it wanted to make a deal with her_. If it could delay them long enough, it would soon be able to begin influencing the decision making processes in their brains using the same technique that it had captured General Cabreu Skellan with. A gradual escalation of its mind control was all that would be needed; the Starfleet crew would never even suspect that they were being manipulated until it was too late.

_The Vryke had once again seized control of a Federation starship, and this time it planned to keep it._

* * *

The Doctor glared at Tom Paris as the Lieutenant entered Sickbay, tossing aside a medical tricorder. "_It's not working!_" he growled furiously. "I'm using auxiliary power from engineering, just like we planned, to send a high frequency signal radiating through all of the ship's bio-neural gel packs. According to my computer model, the modifications we made _should_ already be having a noticeable healing effect on the Vryke's tortured mind." 

"Did you listen to the conversation on the bridge?" Paris watched his reaction curiously.

"Yes I did," the Doctor admitted. "And that's what I don't understand… by now the creature's ability to reason and think rationally should have increased by at least fifty percent. But that's not happening… its still overreacting emotionally and its behavior appears totally unchanged."

Paris sat down on the edge of Sickbay's central, primary bio-bed. "I realize you have a nurturing nature and want to cure every patient you run across," Tom said calmly. "But your database contains lots of information on psychology… have you ever considered the possibility that maybe this creature simply chooses to be evil…?"

The Doctor frowned, mentally reviewing the meticulous research that he had completed over the past few days. "Of course I considered it," he admitted. "However, the computer analysis that Seven and I completed clearly shows indications of bipolar disorder – a condition that should be the cause of aberrant behavior equivalent to similar mental illnesses in a humanoid brain. I am _certain_ that I planned for everything…"

Paris snorted with laughter. "The Vryke is a _bully!_" he shouted at the Doctor. "Face it Doc… this thing does whatever it wants and goes wherever it wants because it _enjoys_ picking on lower life forms." He stood up and his eyes flashed. "No, I take that back," he decided. "The Vryke is _worse_ than a bully. People are getting _killed_ by this creature… all you have to do is read through our Starfleet logs spanning two centuries to find out for yourself. We have plenty of evidence proving that everywhere this thing goes people _die_."

The Doctor sighed and turned his attention back to the central interface console that he had set up linking his Sickbay systems to _Voyager_'s main computer. He reviewed the statistics once again and still saw no sign of improvement. The Vryke's mental activity was truly enormous, but even so there was absolutely no change from the previous sensor readings that they had taken during their battle with it in the Yukshaan star system.

"Doc… we don't have a lot of time," Paris reminded him. "The Captain has to make a final decision and she wants to know… can you heal this creature or not?"

_Voyager_'s holographic Doctor pondered the issue carefully for a moment longer. "No," he said finally. "Ultimately the choice to do good things or bad things is up to each individual. I have done all I can and this creature's behavior still shows no signs of improvement… not even minor ones. Unless it does something completely unexpected – such as withdrawing unconditionally from _Voyager_ – I have to conclude that you are right… that this entity _is_ an evil being. Unfortunately I have no way of determining whether it became a monster during its isolation within the Questar gravity well, or whether it has always behaved in this manner. After all, the creature has been around for more than 300 million years!" He shook his head slowly back and forth with more than a little dismay. "I could continue my efforts to treat it with an eventual possibility of success… but how many more people will die in the meantime? Right now, here in this century, I have no choice to conclude that the Vyrke _is_ a villain"

"Thanks Doc," Paris said, heading immediately for the door. "If you need to contact me, I'll be with the Captain and the others."

* * *

When Tom Paris arrived in _Voyager_'s mess hall, Captain Janeway was already busy visiting with Idmund Ketterlin and Joseth Addersbay. She glanced up as he entered and Tom hesitated, then slowly shook his head and mouthed the word "_No_" at her. The Captain acknowledged the prearranged signal with a nod and set her coffee mug on the table between the Prime Minister and Addersbay. Paris continued into the room and moved to stand next to Tuvok. The aroma of baking bread filled the room; a crewman behind the counter was on duty and busily planning upcoming meals. No one seemed to notice him though, since everyone was preoccupied with the Vryke. Its powerful presence could be felt everywhere throughout the ship. 

A Comm-badge lay in the middle of the central conference table… a table that had been set up specifically for the peace talks. Once everyone had arrived, negotiations had resumed and the Vryke was currently using the communicator to speak to them. The creature's current mood was once again growing angry – it was not yet satisfied that they had anything meaningful to offer it.

"_What happens on the planets and colonies within the Yukshaan Trade Coalition is my business... particularly if I allow_ Voyager's _crew to return to the Alpha Quadrant. Honestly Captain Janeway, I hope you and your colleagues have something significant to offer me. I must say, you're very rapidly running out of time to convince me to spare your lives_."

"What gives _you_ the right to capture and kill my people?" Minister Ketterlin shouted angrily. He leaned forward intensely toward the communicator. "Do you really believe that our population will comply with your decision to appear from nowhere and just appoint yourself as some sort of God-like dictator? Do you really believe that we will not fight back?"

"_Fight all you want_," the Vryke responded bluntly. "_I will kill off all who resist me. Those who agree to serve and obey will live_."

"If I might ask, what specifically is your ultimate goal here in our region of space?" Addersbay inquired curiously. "If all of the people on all of our planets do end up complying with all of your demands, what will happen then? Will you rule over us benevolently, or will you kill indiscriminately whenever someone offends you?"

"_I will rule over all of you… I will rewrite your laws_," declared the creature. "_I make no promises… you are lower life forms to me and nothing more. If you are worthy of survival you will fight and win wars for me as I continue to expand my influence throughout this Quadrant_."

Captain Janeway exhaled slowly, shrugging helplessly at both Ketterlin and Addersbay. Leaving her coffee mug right where it was she stood up and walked slowly over to the central mess hall replicator. She glanced over toward Chakotay and Tuvok… both men nodded supportively in her direction. Without further delay she came to her final decision.

"Black coffee… hot," she stated casually. In front of her the replicator sprang immediately to life, particularly the new device attached to it. Glowing green and gold lights began flashing on its surface as the replicator warmed up, and then unexpectedly began drawing significant power from the main computer's primary systems networked throughout the starship. Around them and everywhere else aboard _Voyager_, lights dimmed and entire systems temporarily lost power.

"_What are… you… DOING?_" The Vryke said suddenly as the starship's power systems continued to fluctuate unsteadily. Its voice was no longer emotionless… for the first time since they had encountered the creature it sounded frightened and more than a little confused.

The overhead lighting flickered a second time and most of the starship's primary systems temporarily went off-line as the power supplied to them was diverted and rerouted through the mess hall's primary replicator. Next to Captain Janeway's left hand the modified device continued to hum with activity… it was obviously very busy doing _something_ much more difficult than simply materializing a fresh cup of hot coffee. Ketterlin, Addersbay and the other delegates appeared very frightened by the sudden changes surrounding them – they were all still new to life aboard the Starfleet vessel and therefore unused to the dangerous situations common to deep space exploration.

But no one – not even the Starfleet crew – expected the Vryke to scream as loudly as it did. In less than thirty seconds, the creature's arrogant tone had changed to one of pure agony.

"_Stop… please… stop before…_" The pleading voice trailed off in mid-sentence and was followed almost immediately by a second scream of anguish.

In front of Janeway, the replicator's materializing software activated and a large brick of granite appeared within the device. Grabbing the stone with both hands she carefully lifted it out of the machine and set it to one side. Then she returned her attention once again to the replicator. "Black coffee… hot," she repeated.

Processing this newest voice command, the replicator immediately began a second sequence. They heard a final scream of pain from the Vryke that cut off mid-way through the replicator's second cycle. This time a much smaller block of stone appeared inside the food manufacturing device and Janeway nodded with approval as she removed it and set it on top of the larger block. Smiling with satisfaction she tapped her Comm-badge. "Bridge, this is Janeway."

"_Torres here_."

"B'Elanna, what is the status of the Vryke particle field surrounding us?" asked the Captain curiously. "Can you and Seven detect a difference up there?"

There was a seemingly endless pause as they waited for a response. "_We lost power as expected," Torres confirmed. "But everything appears to be okay now. All major systems are back on-line and complete control has been restored to the bridge. Either the Vryke decided to leave_ Voyager _or your plan worked. What do you think Seven?_"

"_My assessment is similar to yours_," Seven's voice responded. "_There are significant changes throughout_ Voyager." Again they waited as she activated the ship's main sensor array and used it to scan the surrounding area. "_There are also definite indications that the cloud of Vryke particles surrounding us is rapidly losing cohesion… all of the elements within the field are beginning to drift randomly_."

Ketterlin's expression was one of complete shock. "What did you do Captain?"

Sitting opposite him Chakotay smiled. "The Vryke is composed entirely of energy," he reminded them with a relieved chuckle. "The creature may not have a physical body in the same manner that we do, but its electromagnetic structure is still bound by the laws of physics in this universe. We simply planned for that and took advantage of it."

The Prime Minister continued to regard them with disbelief. "_How?_"

Janeway smiled. "When the Vryke took over _Voyager_, its energy naturally found a comfortable new home in our starship's bio-neural gel packs. While it was there, our Doctor tried to heal its brain functions using a fluctuating resonance pulse emanating throughout the ship's power supply, but Mr. Paris signaled me that he was unsuccessful. We were thus left with no alternative except to kill the creature. Rather than blow up the ship and everyone aboard, my command crew and I decided to have a backup plan in place." She pointed at the replicator. "I used a preset code phrase to activate a filter subroutine within this replicator. Its internal processor is hooked into the main computer and programmed to identify the Vryke's higher brain functions, then route that energy directly to this device. Before the creature even knew what was happening to it, we converted all energy matching the original entity from Questar into physical stone." She rapped loudly on the granite blocks in front of her with the knuckles of her right hand. "This is all that remains of its brain… without a consciousness to control the body, the rest of it is helpless."

Ketterlin remained unconvinced. "Surely you aren't suggesting that this creature is dead…"

From the communicator sitting on the table in front of the Minister, Seven's voice corrected him. "_It is_ very _dead_," she observed. "Voyager'_s Astrometric sensors are back on-line, and they clearly indicate that the Vryke's particle field is dissipating rapidly… all of the visible and invisible radiant energy that it collected from the surrounding stars is being released back into space. I am recording the entire process and can assure you that the view is quite lovely_."

Captain Janeway held up the smaller of the two stone bricks. "I would suggest adding these to our collection… we could take them down to Sickbay and set them next to the Caretaker's remains, but I hardly think that the Vryke deserves such an honor. The Caretaker was an alien to our galaxy, but a role model for all space faring species… he sacrificed his _entire_ future to care for a people that he had once wronged. By comparison, the Vryke wasn't capable of anything except deception, hate and murder."

Joseth Addersbay had been sitting quietly, listening to the entire affair. "So quickly you were able to subvert the plans of this creature?" he asked with a look of wonder. "Truly your technology grants you remarkable capabilities."

Chakotay nodded. "Unfortunately with those abilities come great responsibility," he replied. "We have to be very careful who we share our information with… too many cultures would use such knowledge for violence." His gaze shifted to Tom Paris. "I take it the Doctor is disappointed that his treatment plan failed."

Tom allowed himself a small smile. "It's a two-sided failure for him I'm afraid. His ego is damaged because his ideas didn't work, and he genuinely feels for the Vryke because his compassionate nature sincerely wanted to heal it." He shrugged. "Part of me agreed with him – how often do we run into a life form from so _long_ ago that can still communicate with us? The scientific loss in this opportunity to know more about our galaxy is enormous."

"I completely agree with you Tom," the First Officer told him. "But we have as much right to exist as the Vryke does, and it quite obviously was planning to dispose of everyone aboard this ship as soon as it was certain we were of no further use to it."

The Captain returned to the central conference table and retrieved her favorite coffee mug. "Tuvok, please have damage control run a complete level three diagnostic on all systems throughout the ship. Verify that everything is back on-line and functioning properly. Also have Seven run a detailed internal sensor sweep as well… if there are any residual traces of the energy signature matching the original entity's pattern from _Columbia_'s records, want them located and purged from our systems as soon as possible."

"Aye Captain."

* * *

_The younger 'q' returned to the Continuum still chuckling. He sat down next to his father and a fresh burst of laughter temporarily overcame him. "Aunt Kathy turned it into a rock!" he gasped, tears running from the corners of his eyes. "A ROCK!" He clutched his sides and continued to laugh uncontrollably for a moment longer._

'_Q' watched his son for a minute and then put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know you're proud of your Aunt Kathy's handling of this situation," he said calmly. "But one of the primary reasons that I wanted you here with me is to emphasize just how precious life within this universe of ours is… _any_ life!" The cocky grin on his son's face vanished as he saw the grim, determined look on the face of his father._

"_Of course life is precious, but she had no choice Dad… that thing was going to…"_

"_Listen to me son!" Q's voice boomed. "A parent cannot save his son from making all of the same mistakes that he once did, but I can certainly try my best to warn you about the major ones. The powers of a 'Q' give us limitless abilities, and you have already experimented with a great many of them. I did the same thing during much of my own adolescence, and I can tell you that I had a lot of fun doing so. But I hurt a lot of lower life forms along the way… some of them pretty badly. Others I mistreated and manipulated for my own amusement. It wasn't until I met Jean Luc Picard that I fully began to realize the potential that existed within lower life forms… they have so little and accomplish so much using only what they have. My attachment to Starfleet became a much stronger, familial bond during a time when I was temporarily exiled from the Continuum. At a crucial point in my life, when I was alone and totally vulnerable, enemies from my past appeared and tried to kill me."_

_Young 'q' appeared bored. "I've heard this story before Dad."_

"_Then hear it again my boy, because you can see the future just as well as I can and you're going to need to remember this particular story for the rest of your life. I showed up on _Voyager_ very early during their trip home, at a time when one of our colleagues had grown tired of immortality. He hated the concept of an eternal soul and simply wanted to end his existence even though he was punished for those beliefs by the other members of our Continuum. I must confess that a bit of my cocky nature persisted during those days and I dabbled with the concept of sending _Voyager_ back to the Alpha Quadrant earlier than planned in exchange for Janeway's cooperation handling our renegade 'Q'. At the time I believed I was testing her for potential weaknesses in her moral values, but now I'm convinced that I was the one who ended up learning something. If I had sent her back, all of the good that they have accomplished here in the Delta Quadrant since that initial visit wouldn't have happened."_

"_Their intervention in the affairs of Delta Quadrant cultures has had some negative consequences too Dad."_

"_Absolutely correct son. But if you examine the history of the universe a little more closely I think you will discover that good and evil are always difficult to define… at first. Evil may triumph for a time, but eventually it collapses under the weight of its own inherent weaknesses. I left _Voyager _in the Delta Quadrant because I could _see_ that there were still so many things left for them to do. Their accomplishments and role model behavior have profoundly influenced cultures that – until now – have done nothing but bicker amongst each other and wage endless, bloody wars. There were admittedly some diamonds hiding amidst all the rubbish, but not nearly enough of them to make a genuine long-term difference. That has all changed now, thanks to _Voyager_'s presence. They were the catalyst, and change is spiraling out of control with many of the people whose lives they have touched_."

"_What has this got to do with me?" Young 'q' looked truly mystified at his father's behavior._

"_I myself must be a role model now that I am a parent, and I would not be doing my job properly if I failed to point out to you that I am not perfect… that I myself have made many mistakes during my lifetime. I want you to learn about compassion and tolerance and positive change before you get caught up in the evil that is still prevalent throughout much of this galaxy."_

'_q' regarded his father thoughtfully. "That must have been hard for you to admit…" he decided. "…that you are flawed and have made mistakes."_

'_Q' laughed. "Believe me, it is even more difficult to admit these things to someone you love," he told his son. "But there it is… I'm not saying that you will someday be stripped of your powers in the same way that I was. All I'm asking you to do is _think_ very carefully about the life forms you interact with – what would they do if you were suddenly powerless? Would they help you adjust to a new life, as Captain Picard and the_ Enterprise _crew tried to help me, or would they come after you hoping to even a score?"_

"_That's a good life lesson, but it's not the whole story behind this Vryke situation, is it?" asked 'q'. "There's something else about all of this… something you haven't allowed me to see yet."_

"_Ah, your intuitive nature is so like _me_ my son… I am so proud of you. If your mother was here she would be jealous and disappointed to see that so much of _me_ has been captured within you. Yes, there is indeed an additional issue to be resolved here. It involves a very old friend… the one who saved my life during that time I was aboard_ Enterprise _and completely helpless."_

"_Why can't I see it then?"_

"_You can. But you won't realize just how precious all life is until we pass into that timeline."_

_Placing a comforting arm around his son's shoulder, 'Q' led him toward the future._

"_Dad?" the boy asked softly._

"_Yes, my son?"_

"_What about this all powerful God that so many cultures speak of? If He truly existed we would certainly know about it, wouldn't we? After all, _we_ can see everything!"_

'_Q' shrugged. "I've never seen any sign of Him… and I've been around a long time my boy."_

_'q' noticed his father glancing back over his shoulder, as though looking for someone while he spoke the words, but he decided not to pursue the matter further._

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54952.4:

* * *

"_I am glad to hear that everything has been settled and that your ship is safe_," decided Governor Villip Ruksin respectfully, the relief in his tone quite obvious. An image of him sitting behind a luxurious desk in his private office on Rafali Prime was displayed on _Voyager_'s viewscreen. "_I am certain that General Skellan and Minister Ketterlin will agree that both of our cultures owe you a huge debt of gratitude. Without your assistance, the killing in this region would have continued indefinitely… that creature would have enslaved all of us eventually_." 

"There are always alternatives Governor," replied Janeway. "Fortunately for us we were able to brainstorm enough of them to keep our common enemy off guard. The Vryke's greed and lust for power blinded it… it never even suspected that it had weaknesses just like any other life form until it was too late."

Ruksin nodded in agreement. "_I have a meeting to attend later… we're going to decide what to do about Derryn Akseth and the others involved in his scheming_," he informed her. "_We still haven't decided just who should be prosecuted and who should be granted amnesty_."

"I don't envy you that task," the Captain decided. "I've had to discipline people before, but never regarding abuse of power on so grand a scale. I take it from your fatigued appearance that the corruption within your government runs deep?"

"_The scandals touch more people I used to trust than I ever could have imagined_," the Governor responded. "_Many are coming forward and admitting their role… others continue to out each other in order to save themselves. Once we reveal just how much documentation we have on file proving their guilt, most of them give in and admit their part. I expect that those who are honest from the start and own up to what they did will be the ones we go easy on. But those are our problems now and we will deal with them._"He smiled wanly. "_I know you are anxious to continue your journey home, but we are all hoping that you will stay in the region for awhile longer. My people have informed me that they want to hold a celebration at some point in the next few days, so they can thank you and your crew personally_."

Janeway laughed at his comment. "We'll be around for awhile longer Governor," she assured him. "I have delegates and crewmen from both Yukshaan and Rafali Prime on board. Once we drop them off, we still have to swing by the Stefe'en home world and return Commander Chakotay's friend."

"_Then I look forward to speaking with you again very soon_," said the Governor, nodding politely as he terminated the transmission. The viewscreen immediately switched back to its view overlooking the Rafali home world as it floated gracefully in space beneath _Voyager_'s orbit. Janeway picked up a data padd and carefully began recording notes that she was planning to add into her logs later that evening.

Using padds had quickly become routine… they had been operating under total secrecy ever since their first encounter with the Vryke, and she supposed that it was now safe again for everyone to resume their normal routine. Before the matter slipped into the background of non-essential things to do once again, she made a ship wide announcement that the Vryke crisis was officially ended. The Captain instructed all hands to resume normal shipboard operations, including the careful and meticulous task of recording both professional and private log entries.

As she finished, Tuvok raised an eyebrow. "Captain, we are receiving another transmission," he reported, sounding a bit puzzled even through his carefully controlled Vulcan demeanor. "It appears to be from Ambassador Neelix… the message originates from his homestead asteroid."

Next to Janeway, Chakotay chuckled at the news. "Neelix?"

Tuvok confirmed the origin codes. "Affirmative. I am routing the transmission to the main viewscreen. It is indeed Ambassador Neelix."

Their Talaxian friend was standing proudly next to the woman Dexa and her son Brax. Neelix had already formed a close bond with the two of them since his original arrival on the colony, and he kept hinting that the bond between them was growing stronger every day. At the sight of the smiling faces, Captain Janeway rose from her seat and walked forward and paused behind Tom Paris. "Neelix…" she said warmly. "It's _good_ to hear from you out of the blue like this… is there something wrong on your end that we can help you with?"

"_Not exactly Captain_," decided Neelix. "_I've been trying to reach you for several hours now, but your orbit was on the wrong side of that planet you're hanging around. There is something quite urgent that _you_ need to do_."

Standing to his left, the boy Brax waved. "_Hi Captain Janeway!_" he said enthusiastically.

"_Brax!_" said Dexa almost immediately. "_You promised that you would be quiet!_" She frowned at her son, but he continued to grin… genuinely happy to see the crew of _Voyager_ again.

"_Captain_," Neelix continued. "_Apparently there is some sort of local subspace interference in your area generated by that creature you've been chasing. Seven assured me that you have control of the situation, but I must say it doesn't sound friendly in the least and I hope you resolve the matter very soon_."

"_Relax_ Ambassador," the Captain suggested. "What's the problem? What do we _need_ to do?"

"_Commander Data and Ensign Kim were unable to get the _Delta Flyer _out of the Rafalian star system as planned and suffered damage during a battle with an enemy starship. They told me that everyone seems to be okay, but they wanted you to know that their warp engines are off-line and communications are down. Since a direct line of communication to you wasn't possible, they contacted me here and requested that I relay a message to you_."

From his position at the helm, Tom Paris glanced warily back toward Janeway and then returned his attention to the viewscreen. "How _much_ damage?" he asked suspiciously. "What have they done to my baby?"

"Hey!" B'Elanna Torres said sharply, drawing his gaze immediately to the engineering console. "Your baby is right here, remember?" She pointed at her swollen tummy for emphasis. "Don't forget that for a minute buddy boy, or I'll make arrangements with the Doctor for _you_ to carry her around inside your belly for a few weeks!"

Neelix cackled with laughter for a moment at both B'Elanna's response and her angry expression, then grew serious once again. "_I don't know exactly how much damage was done_," he replied. "_Ensign Kim did not go into detail, but he did mention that the_ Flyer'_s warp drive was off-line and that local communication with you was impossible. Since we are located in a direction well away from the areas of greatest disruption, he sent me their exact coordinates. I am relaying them to you right now… they are hiding near a pair of moons orbiting the fifth planet, which I believe should be the only gas giant in your star system_."

"Thanks for the update Neelix," said Janeway gratefully. "We'll chart a course to intercept them immediately." She nodded to Tom Paris and he began plotting the necessary changes, mumbling something about the damage to his precious _Flyer_ as he did so.

On the viewscreen Neelix leaned closer to the visual pickup on his end, surveying the bridge crew until his gaze came to rest on Tuvok. "_Hi there Mr. Vulcan!_" he said with a friendly wave. "_How have you been doing?_"

"I am fine Neelix," Tuvok replied, and once again a raised eyebrow was the only reaction he would offer. "I hope life at your new home is going well."

"_It is. And thanks_."

Paris glanced up from his console. "I've plotted and laid in an interception course at half impulse. We'll rendezvous with the _Delta Flyer_ in fifteen minutes."

"Thanks again Neelix," said Janeway. "We owe you one."

"_No problem Captain. Please take care of yourselves_."

The Captain smiled confidently. "We always seem to find a way."

* * *

**_Author's notes:_** Believe it or not, there's quite a bit left in this story to tell! So I hope that the unexpected simplicity of the solution to the Vryke matter caught everyone off guard, and would appreciate it if you all stick around to find out more about some of the core issues driving this story. There's at least one _BIG_ surprise left, I promise you! 


	21. Role Models

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Chapter XX: Role Models**

* * *

Alpha Quadrant, San Francisco Coliseum, June 30, 2156:

* * *

Jonathan Archer stood gallantly at the podium, with a smiling but wistful, elderly gray-haired woman at his side. "As many of you no doubt realize, I've been here before," he pointed out as he surveyed the stadium surrounding them. "I notice that there are a lot of empty seats this time around, and that's unfortunate. So after you leave today, I hope all of you will help me spread the news about _Columbia_… about the ultimate sacrifice that Captain Erika Hernandez and her crew were willing to pay so that Starfleet can continue its exploration of space." 

He placed a comforting hand around the shoulder of the woman standing next to him. "I want you all to meet Margaret Hernandez, Erika's mother," he informed the silent crowd. "She was among those who were present the last time I gave a speech at this podium – shortly after the Xindi threat against Earth had ended. Throughout all of the growing pains that our planet has suffered through as we begin reaching out to other life forms and civilizations, Margaret and others like her have all too often paid the price for the choices made by their sons and daughters who serve in Starfleet. On too many occasions we have lost people… good people who did their jobs well and were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Archer paused, noticing that the thousands of people who were present remained – for the most part – surprisingly silent. The usual whispers and murmurs of private conversations were absent on this occasion, and as he gazed back and forth at the sea of distant faces his emotions threatened to overwhelm him. "We may never know what actually happened to _Columbia_," he admitted. "This isn't the first time one of our ships has gone missing and been declared lost, nor – I expect – will it be the last. Fortunately there remains in our midst a great many individuals who are willing to train hard and risk their lives so that we can negotiate with and establish peaceful relations with new cultures. Starfleet's mission has never changed… we seek to meet new civilizations and interact peacefully with them so that potential threats like the Xindi incident are identified and defused before they can escalate into a hostile confrontation. The original Xindi attack on our planet proved that we cannot simply hide here on Earth and hope that neighboring civilizations will ignore us… we _must_ step forward and accept an active role in defining our future. If we don't, others will do it for us."

Again the _Enterprise_ Captain paused long enough to take a deep breath. Glancing down at his notes, Archer smiled a bit wistfully. "I lost 27 of my own crew during the Xindi mission and its aftermath. So no one knows just how difficult losing people under your command can be more than I do. Now… after four months missing in action, Starfleet Command has finally made the decision to declare _Columbia_ and her crew officially lost. Unless a miracle takes place, we will never see Captain Erika Hernandez or any of her crew again. But that doesn't mean that we should forget them, nor does it mean that Starfleet's mission should end. We will continue to explore space peacefully and negotiate with other space faring cultures, collecting allies anywhere and everywhere we can find them. Through diversity and friendship we will form treaties that will positively shape our future for centuries to come. We _must_ do this… I have seen for myself that there are far too many warlike species out there – enemies with advanced technology at their disposal. These people represent a dangerous threat to our continued survival, and they must not be allowed to spread their influence into our territory."

Archer glanced over at Margaret Hernandez and nodded. "Mrs. Hernandez will now lead us in a short prayer that was one of Erika's favorites, followed by a moment of silence to honor _all_ of the brave souls lost aboard _Columbia_," he continued. "I sincerely hope everyone here and all over our globe will forever remember my personal friend and her loyal crew. Their sacrifice, along with all of the others who have given their lives throughout the years to defend freedom, security, and a lasting peace, should _never_ be forgotten. With your continued help, it never will be. _Thank you_, each and every one of you, for attending today's ceremony regardless of your personal feelings regarding alien civilizations. May your own children and grandchildren grow up safe on this planet and become as brave and courageous as the good people whom we have gathered here today to honor and remember."

Mrs. Hernandez smiled at Jonathan Archer and then stepped up to replace him at the podium. "A moment of silence please, for those who have defended us from tyranny and oppression over the centuries. So long as our free society stands, may their contribution to the safety of its people never forgotten." Both she and Captain Archer lowered their heads in silent tribute.

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54952.2:

* * *

Samantha Wildman leaned down with a huge smile of relief on her face and hugged her daughter as Naomi disembarked from the newly returned _Delta Flyer_. Behind her Governor Ruksin's children followed close behind, talking excitedly about all of the adventures that they had been a part of since coming aboard _Voyager_. Icheb lingered for a moment, standing next to the outer hatch and carefully surveying the damaged port nacelle. He also noticed plenty of angry looking black scorch marks scattered across the shuttle's hull… some of the enemy plasma bolts had melted the surface metal in places. Despite the damage, it was quite apparent that their shields had done an efficient job of deflecting incoming attacks. 

"I'm so relieved that you're all right Naomi!" Samantha told her daughter. She barely noticed Tom Paris and the Doctor brush by her as she crushed her daughter close and kissed her forehead lightly. "When Neelix called to tell us your ship had been attacked, I was naturally worried."

"Why?" Naomi asked curiously, looking up at her mother with bright, questioning eyes. "We made sure to ask him to let you know that everyone was all right… well, everyone except for Commander Data." They both turned toward the _Flyer_'s still open hatch in time to see the damaged android being carried off on a medical stretcher. Several members of Tuvok's security team approached the Rafalian children and offered to escort them back to guest quarters.

Harry Kim was the last to debark, and the strain of command showed plainly on his face. He was getting more and more used to it as their time in the Delta Quadrant continued to increase, but situations where he had no safety net – where the big decisions were completely entirely his call – weighed heavier on him than he had at first thought they might as a newly graduated cadet. The Ensign leaned against the side of the _Delta Flyer_ for a moment, taking several deep breaths and letting emotions he had temporarily pushed to the back of his mind slowly ease out of him. In front of the children he had worn the face of a man who was in complete command… projecting an image that nothing was wrong. Privately he had been worried sick that he might not be able to keep them all safe and out of harm's way as he had been ordered to.

An unexpected shriek of despair snapped Harry instantly back to attention.

"_What_ have you done to my ship?" the voice of Tom Paris howled from the starboard side of the shuttle. "This is _awful!_"

Ensign Kim walked around the front of the _Flyer_ and joined Paris on the starboard side, where the damage to the crumpled, buckled portions of the hull plating was most noticeable. They had indeed successfully collided with the _Kafic Relente_ as planned and thereby caught the Rafalian crew off guard, but their shuttle had not escaped the incident unscathed. "We're all just fine, thank you very much for asking," Kim told Paris with a dry smile. "For what it's worth, the _Delta Flyer II_ is everything you wanted her to be," he pointed out with approval. "We went toe to toe with one of General Skellan's most powerful starships and our hull never once breached. This version of our super shuttle is even more durable than the original."

Tom Paris was holding his head with both hands, a look of disbelief still clouding his features. "Did you _fight_ with the starship or simply let it run over you?" he asked dryly, his sarcasm unleashed only because he had already noticed that everyone had returned safe and sound. Still, he wasn't so upset that he failed to notice the look of exhaustion on his friend's face. The expression of outrage on his face disappeared almost instantly. "Are you all right Harry?" he asked with genuine concern.

"We did what we had to do to survive," Kim reminded his friend. "And even though we sustained several direct hits and even collided once with the enemy, the warp drive is the only major system non-functional. The cloak would still work if it had a decent power supply. A couple of weeks in _Voyager_'s repair shop and she'll be good as new," he predicted.

"A _month_ is more likely," decided Paris somewhat cynically. "B'Elanna is not going to be happy if I'm playing grease monkey all the time… I guess my plan to rebuild another car on the holodeck is on hold indefinitely… at least until we can get repairs completed here."

Harry slapped his friend playfully on the back. "The _Flyer _will be all right," he predicted optimistically. "Although I want to head down to Sickbay yet and check on Commander Data's condition. He nearly sacrificed himself to save us, and I'm not sure yet whether or not the damage he sustained can be repaired."

Tom nodded sharply at the news. "Let's both go check on him," he said softly. Together they left behind the repair teams already working on the _Delta Flyer_'s damaged systems and moved out of the shuttle bay.

* * *

For once the Doctor was a bystander in his own Sickbay, and he didn't like the situation one bit. He could offer advice and provide some insight on the android's design and offer advice regarding the little he knew regarding positronic psychological behavior, but in this particular case he was truly a novice. B'Elanna, Seven and the Captain were busy running tricorder scans of Data while Tuvok assisted them in their attempts to repair the Commander's damaged systems. 

"The activity in his neural net is spiraling out of control exponentially," Torres noted grimly. "Unless we find a way to stop it quickly, there will be permanent damage."

Lying flat on his back in the central bio-bed, Data nodded in acknowledgement. "There already has been significant damage, I suspect," he pointed out.

"What do you mean Commander?" asked Janeway, glancing down at his pale golden skin.

Data observed her expression with interest. "How can you be so concerned about someone you have just met?" he asked curiously. "Admittedly I am an artificial life form… expendable."

Janeway's smile was wan, but she chuckled lightly. "Before someone joins my crew I carefully examine their service record," she pointed out. "You may not realize it Commander, but in your efforts to emulate human behavior over the years you have repeatedly demonstrated an admirable ability to mix sincere compassion with a willingness to sacrifice yourself to save others. While technically you are not human, you certainly behave like one… certainly more so than many real humans whom I have met over the years." She studied the results of her newest tricorder scan, looking for telltale clues that would help them. "Now what did you mean by that comment about _already_ being damaged?"

Data turned his head to the left so that B'Elanna could access the control systems on the right side of his skull. "The replication process used to create a duplicate neural net here in the Delta Quadrant was very close to perfect, but I believe there were certain flaws that were carried over from the original copy of me."

Torres looked intrigued. "We didn't find any sign of that," she pointed out. "None whatsoever."

"Several times during my counterpart's service aboard the _Enterprise_, he has been damaged severely enough to require major repairs. The most serious of these events occurred on a mission to Barkon IV, where my Alpha Quadrant original's positronic matrix was overloaded. The damage to his neural net caused temporary amnesia and left permanent digital scarring within the positronic brain. Although the copy of the new matrix that your crew replicated here is – for the most part – identical, I firmly believe that residual damage from the original was improperly duplicated. The damage from that Barkon IV mission was aggravated during my own recent battle with the Rafalians, aggravated to the point where the damaged areas once again began disrupting normal positronic activity."

B'Elanna shrugged. "That shouldn't be happening, should it? If your neural net in the Alpha Quadrant was able to detect and bypass the damaged areas and properly tag them as unusable, then there should be no problem. Those correction subroutines should have been replicated identically when we downloaded a copy of your software to create you."

Data paused for a moment as he activated a series of internal automated diagnostics activated. He stared straight ahead for about thirty seconds before continuing with his explanation. "Somehow the damaged areas are not being properly bypassed," he observed, touching his left temple with his remaining good hand. "Even before I piloted the _Delta Flyer_ off of _Voyager_, several of my self diagnostic routines reported minor anomalies within my neural net. After I was damaged, those anomalies became more and more pronounced, to the point where I began seeing Ensign Kim and others aboard the shuttle as people I met during the Barkon IV incident."

Seven's expression was concerned. "I am detecting electrical activity within the damaged areas of your neural net," she reported. "We could use some of my Borg nanites to repair the damage, but I don't believe that any such effort on our part will correct your current malfunction. The electrical overload that your body suffered after you were shot on the _Kafic Relente_ burned out some of your internal storage nodes and thereby rendered much of your programming useless."

The android nodded with understanding. "Much of it has shut down as a result of those damaged storage nodes," he admitted. "With much of my software corrupted and other subroutines unavailable, the programming that is still functioning properly has no way to know that it is accessing those damaged areas within my neural net."

B'Elanna sighed. "I'm beginning to believe you two are correct," she decided, using a slender metallic tool to probe the precision circuitry located beneath Data's outer skull. "Even the functions that rebooted properly after your last overload are gradually destabilizing. Keeping a copy of you running here in the Delta Quadrant seemed like a great idea when we first initiated the project, but we don't know enough about you to repair damage on this scale without completely shutting you down until new hardware can be replicated. After that, we could reload your software from our original download – but that would amount to a complete reboot and restore your memory back to the point when we first activated you."

Data smiled knowingly. "Then I think that you should do just that."

Captain Janeway shook her head slowly. "What you're suggesting is pretty extreme," she reminded him. "We're talking about more than temporary amnesia this time… if we create a replacement body and transfer an undamaged, backup copy of your software into the new android, you would lose _all_ of the memories that you have accumulated since you joined us here in the Delta Quadrant. This version of you would, for all intents and purposes, _die_… we would be starting completely over with a brand new Data."

The Doctor was in complete agreement. "You would lose that special part of you that has become unique," he pointed out. "Remember Commander, you have been granted permission by Starfleet Command to explore your sentient nature. The court decision that you were involved in years ago granted you all the rights due a sentient life form. There are ethical boundaries in play here, including medical decisions that we have to carefully evaluate before making a final recommendation with – or without – your permission."

"You have little choice in this matter," Data stated factually. "As Lt. Torres has pointed out, my software functions are destabilizing. I have managed to compensate for now, but that will change rapidly as time continues to pass. I suggest that you shut down this copy of me and create a new one. Yes I will lose the memories I have accumulated so far but there is little choice in the matter. Keeping this version of me alive will only cause undue suffering as I continue to malfunction. Any repair effort you attempt from this point forward has a significantly high probability of failure. I therefore give you permission to terminate my current functions in favor of a new model."

Janeway and the Doctor exchanged similar, doubtful looks. "I don't like this idea," she decided. "I don't like it one bit."

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, Benini Star System, Stardate 54961.5:

* * *

_Captain's log, Stardate 54961.5: The_ Enterprise_, along with the rest of the Starfleet task force assigned to protect us, continues to work closely with and supervise the rehabilitation of the Jem'Hadar on the surface of Benini Five. Several days ago, the first set of Dominion soldiers awakened after ten days of sedation. Both Doctors Bashir and Crusher worked very aggressively to break the Ketracel-White addiction during this time. According to initial reports I have received their efforts have been quite successful. Although the Jem'Hadar continue to suffer from withdrawal symptoms, the worst of their addiction has been broken and a carefully planned medication schedule is being used to gradually wean them completely away from the powerful substance that once completely controlled their lives._

_Commander Riker and his team have returned in their runabout bearing the remains of_ Columbia_'s crew. I have already contacted Deep Space Nine with this news, and Patrick Hazelton has assured me that a proper ceremony will be held upon our return in honor of those who paved the way for Starfleet all those years ago. I have been asked to speak at the event and immediately accepted the invitation to do so. After a working lunch this afternoon, I have also spent time reviewing our historical files and analyzing the speech that Captain Jonathan Archer delivered in their honor so many years ago after _Columbia _was officially declared lost. _

_It gives me great pleasure to know that we have finally resolved the mystery of that disappearance – now nearly two hundred years ago. It is only fitting that these heroes should be honored properly. History will now accurately record where the brave crew of that ship traveled to, so that we can remember all that they sacrificed in order to keep our Alpha Quadrant safe. Commander Hazelton has informed me that it is quite probable that_ Columbia _will once again be space worthy and able to fly during the planned memorial service. _

* * *

Beverly Crusher and Julian Bashir were busy inoculating patients when Captain Picard found them. A long line of grumpy, freshly awakened Jem'Hadar soldiers were standing and waiting to receive the latest in a series of progressively less concentrated doses of the powerful narcotic that once ruled their lives. Crusher glanced up at the Captain as he approached them, flanked by Worf, Chief O'Brien and several other Starfleet security officers. 

"It's good to see you Jean Luc," she admitted. "The weather down here is hot and the work non-stop. But as you've seen, the progress we have made is well worth all the effort."

Picard nodded in response, touching Dr. Bashir lightly on the shoulder. "Your achievements on this matter are even better than expected. Once the _Enterprise_ returns to Deep Space Nine, I plan to recommend that Commander Hazelton issue a commendation in your honor. The violence here in the Gamma Quadrant has decreased substantially already… the lives your procedure is saving number in the thousands."

Julian found himself centered around a rare moment of humility as his gaze fell on the smiling face of his old friend Miles O'Brien. "Great things take time Captain," he stated honestly. "I have been working on a way to break this terrible addiction for years… your Dr. Crusher and many others submitted ideas and advice to me on many occasions via subspace – ideas that eventually figured into the final solution. I take credit only for supervising the development of the procedure, but this could not have happened without the full support of Starfleet Medical."

Beverly smiled. "I still have a few connections at Starfleet," she admitted. "When they heard about the drug shortage, they knew that the Gamma Quadrant would be in extreme danger. The news drove us even harder in our efforts to find a way to help Dr. Bashir finish the work he had begun. Fortunately, he was able to resolve the lingering issues more quickly than we anticipated."

Large, well muscled Jem'Hadar soldiers continued to file by as the Doctors and their staff administered injections to each of them – injections designed to continue improving their condition. As they worked Ithlat'icar himself approached them, his expression grim and irritable but for the moment under control. "Greetings Captain Picard," he said with his booming, deep voice. "It is an honor to finally meet you in person."

Picard nodded in reply, and the small group moved away from Crusher and Bashir toward the multiple rows of tented barracks beyond that offered shelter to the small city of soldiers that had assembled on the planet's surface. Some of the tents were completely sealed and had armed guards stationed in front of them, clearly identifying the areas where Jem'Hadar who were still asleep and undergoing the initial stages of the treatment rested. "I hear that things are going well here," Picard said simply. "Your soldiers are reacting positively to our treatment schedule."

"Indeed they are," Ithlat'icar decided after a brief pause. "If someone had told me several years ago that there was a way to break our addiction to the White, I would not have believed them." He sighed heavily, turning and sizing Picard up. "You humans continue to astonish us," he told the Captain. "During our war with the Alpha Quadrant, we expected Starfleet's morale to break on many occasions, but it never did. Truly your size and stature are not reflective of the determination that lurks within your hearts."

Beside Picard Worf glanced at the Jem'Hadar leader darkly. "There is no such thing as surrender in our hearts," he stated sharply.

"Our strength comes from generations of peaceful relations with many cultures on our side of the galaxy," pointed out Picard. "When Starfleet is threatened, we quite literally have the resources of a hundred different worlds to draw upon. It is an advantage that other cultures who feud with each other cannot easily overcome."

Ithlat'icar nodded. "Eventually our numbers would have overwhelmed you… it is good that your tactical analysts accurately assessed the best opportunities to take the greatest risk. Many lives were saved by ending the war quickly."

"Your Dominion leaders made the same mistake that many others have made; it is an old story in our history. The obstacles faced by your people fighting such a war were many from a historical perspective. Your invasion of the Alpha Quadrant was a risky venture right from the start."

The Jem'Hadar glanced at him curiously. "Go on Captain. I am interested in hearing your perspective on these matters. The Founders are in a complete state of disarray, so I welcome any input you can offer as to how best to deal with them now that they no longer control the fate of my people. You don't shade the truth like the Vorta do, and I like that about you. I like it a lot."

Picard shrugged. "Early in my planet's history, many wars were fought between the different segments of our population. The ones that failed most often were the ones where an invading force had to attack one or more targets that were geographically distant. During one such war, an aggressive regime led by a vicious, overconfident dictator actually tried fighting a war on two fronts. Instead of capturing the entire world as he planned, he instead discovered his forces unable to hold territory that they had once speedily conquered."

"We have fought and lost territory in that manner also in our history," acknowledged Ithlat'icar.

"There was also a man named Napoleon who tried to conquer a country called Russia… only to discover that he ruled that land in the midst of one of its harshest winters. His occupation force ended up retreating without food and supplies, and their enemy fought them all the way back to the border. Only the technology has changed since those days… time and again wars are fought and won or lost according to the same basic principles. Your forces had no choice but to use the Bajoran wormhole simply to reach the Alpha Quadrant… that was the _only_ short-range access point available. You might have temporarily conquered us, but I think that the Founders would have discovered that – in the long run – holding on to the territory they captured would be much more difficult than actually seizing control of it. Their dominion would have been similar to Napoleon in Russia."

Ithlat'icar listened patiently and then chuckled as he realized what Picard was driving at. "Because our control over species hostile here in the Gamma Quadrant weakened considerably each time we sent additional forces through the wormhole to reinforce our presence on your side of the galaxy."

"Exactly," agreed the Captain. "The Founders considered everyone within their Dominion to be a lower life form, not an equal. That has never been a formula for long-term success, nor does it minimize the chance that people you currently rule over will one day rise up against you. It actually encourages them to look for such an opportunity. My Starfleet colleagues from Deep Space Nine witnessed firsthand on many occasions how poorly the Founders treated people here in the Gamma Quadrant. Their superiority was achieved solely because they had the larger military… there was no friendship, respect, or compassion of any kind. Without it, a conquered people will _always_ be resentful, disloyal, and awaiting an opportunity to rebel."

They paused atop a small hill in the center of the fenced off camp perimeter, watching a large group of Jem'Hadar soldiers below as they went through a series of exercises. Deanna Troi stood at the head of the group, leading the dozens of soldiers through a series of very intense aerobic-like maneuvers. Ithlat'icar and Captain Picard stood side by side and observed the workout for a few minutes.

"Those are Klingon calisthenics, are they not?" the large Jem'Hadar soldier asked curisouly.

"Yes," confirmed Worf. "I have taught many similar classes on the _Enterprise_ over the years, and Commander Troi has been one of my best students. She realized immediately after the camp was set up that simply breaking your peoples' addiction to the White would not be enough. It was her idea to share something new with your men as they suffer through the remaining pains of narcotic withdrawal. The focused discipline required for these exercises takes each soldier's mind off of the physical and mental discomfort caused by the Ketracel-White treatment plan."

"Indeed it is a good idea, and I believe I shall join them and learn these techniques myself," stated Ithlat'icar approvingly. "The headaches are bothersome enough, but on several occasions I have eaten real food for the first time in my life and been unable to keep it down. Nausea is a condition I never expected to experience, even when I first stepped onto this planet knowing that I would eventually eat meals instead of hooking vials to my collar."

Picard chuckled this time, slapping the Jem'Hadar lightly on his back. "The nausea will pass," he predicted. "I also believe that you will learn to appreciate the variety of foods available along with many other cultural experiences that have been denied to your people for far too long now. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us if we are to properly heal the bad feelings between your race and the others here in the Gamma Quadrant. It will take time to reintroduce females into your species and acclimatize your culture toward a new beginning."

Ithlat'icar smiled darkly. "Many of my soldiers remain loyal to the Founders," he warned. "Myself and many others high up in the chain have long recognized the folly of the Vorta and the tyranny of the Founders, but until you won the war and liberated us we had no way to combat it. The people of this Quadrant still face a very angry group of Jem'Hadar… in many ways. I expect that many of the civilizations on the planets we ruled over for so long will likely be just as resentful towards us."

The Captain carefully considered the matter. "Starfleet plans to have a team of advisors available to assist you as much or as little as you need them. Your people can still be soldiers and the primary defenders of the Gamma Quadrant, as long as your rules of engagement are adjusted so that your people respect the rights of all sentient beings. Admittedly there will be a lot of rough spots along the way, but the Federation has been assisting other cultures in these matters for hundreds of years."

"As long as there are no _Vorta_ involved, we will do fine," Ithlat'icar decided. "Eventually. For now my people are hated wherever they go. Where would you suggest we start if we are to overcome centuries of tyranny?"

"Time is what is most needed," said Picard honestly. "Change cannot occur overnight, and that includes the relationship between your soldiers and the populations living in this Quadrant. In time, if you truly adjust your way of life and openly accept change, I expect that the hostility will lessen and genuine trust will begin to return. That is one reason why the Starfleet war trials will be held here in the Gamma Quadrant… so that everyone here can attend and see for themselves that legitimate change is already well underway. Ambassador Odo has been very helpful in these matters, since his experience with solid life forms is proving to be a great help in winning over the hearts and minds of the other Founders."

"I respect you more than you know Captain. Where should leaders like me begin?" Ithlat'icar's gaze was intense as he stared into Picard's eyes. "We have very little experience living with others as _equals_. Even if I accept it, I fear that my men will not be able to."

Picard sighed as he considered the question for a moment, falling back on his extensive experience as a trained diplomat. "Then distract your men with something completely different for awhile," he suggested. "I have had the opportunity in the past few weeks to study your storied Jem'Hadar history _before_ you were enslaved by the Founders. That background is truly fascinating, and I think that you and the other Firsts among your people should find a planet to live on and begin reintroducing that culture to your people as quickly as possible."

"My men are soldiers, not historians," pointed out Ithlat'icar. "I do not think that simply _reading_ about our past will appeal to them."

"Then you and the other Firsts should learn the history _yourselves_," said Worf suddenly. "If your people continue to be warriors like mine, then _tell_ them the stories and sing songs about your brave comrades who have fallen in battle. Encourage them to tell those same stories to each other, and to your children."

"Children?" Ithlat'icar looked puzzled.

"Your young ones will no longer be cloned," grinned Worf. "Your soldiers will once again be able to interact with… _females_." He growled deeply as he spoke the last word.

"There is that… and many other tough obstacles that we have yet to overcome," predicted the Jem'Hadar commander. "It will not be easy."

Picard laughed at the comment. "Getting along with others who have a completely different way of thinking than yours generally _isn't_ easy. That's why you and your fellow leaders are going to have to become role models… like small children who are just learning, those who serve under you will emulate your behavior. Our advisors can help you with those issues as well – you must learn to be as confident and determined to embrace peace as you were to initiate war."

Ithlat'icar glanced first to Worf, then back at Picard. "Your Starfleet Command and the United Federation of Planets that it represents are the _true_ role models," he decided. "We used to look upon the Founders as our _Gods_ until we saw them repeatedly defeated on the field of battle. To most of our soldiers, such occurrences were simply not possible… it was _extremely_ difficult to accept. In the end, those of us who led the rest were _forced_ to accept it in order to avert disaster, and I will be recommending that the rest of my people learn to emulate _your_ behavior. There will be great resistance at first, but together we will overcome it."

"Then I hope your people learn to like exploring space and interacting with other species," said Picard with a satisfied grin. "Because Starfleet has always remained peaceful unless attacked… we establish trust with each new species we encounter and become soldiers only if that trust is betrayed and there is a need to fight. Our weapons have always been for defensive purposes… that concept has not changed on Earth for centuries."

"That sounds very complicated Captain."

"It is. But there are many ways to bridge the gaps between people who are different from you. Sampling each other's food and drink is one way… my personal favorite actually. You can also accomplish a lot by listening to someone's stories about their way of life and by telling them a bit about your own. But first you have to rediscover who and what the Jem'Hadar _are_."

"I will include all of your recommendations when I send my next progress report to our Central Command," Ithlat'icar promised him.

Picard studied the massive Jem'Hadar commander carefully for a moment and then offered Ithlat'icar a hand of friendship. "I am pleased to have met and spoken with you sir. I would be honored if mine was the first species you initiated First Contact with." Caught by surprise, Ithlat'icar shook his hand tentatively at first and then more forcefully.

"The honor is mine as well," he decided, extending his hand next to a completely startled Worf.

Together, they stood on the crest of the hill and continued to watch the Klingon calisthenics class. Ithlat'icar roared with laughter when one of his soldiers approached Deanna Troi from behind and tried a surprise attack. Despite his superior size, he promptly landed flat on his back on the ground in front of her.

"Being aggressive is important, but being _too_ aggressive can work against you," she pointed out unnecessarily to the stunned Jem'Hadar. "Once all of your weight is thrown in one direction, it becomes very easy for even a smaller person like myself to use it against you."

"If she had been on our side, perhaps we would have prevailed in the war," suggested Ithlat'icar, watching the Captain of the _Enterprise_ curiously for his reaction.

Picard smiled wryly in response. "No… you would not have," he declared confidently.

* * *

Alpha Quadrant, Jupiter Station, Stardate 54961.8:

* * *

Admiral Leonard McCoy was visibly upset as he watched the image of Ensign Harry Kim from a central viewscreen in Doctor Lewis Zimmerman's holographic workshop. The two of them had gathered together in time to receive the daily transmission from Starfleet. Once again 'the Data Project' had become a priority and Reg Barclay was relaying the transmission directly from Starfleet Command on Earth. 

"All attempts to reactivate Commander Data have _failed?_" McCoy asked incredulously, waving an index finger at the monitor. "That just doesn't make _sense_ my boy… you must have done something different along the way this time…" The wizened, elderly Admiral touched the finger to his chin thoughtfully. "Or you _didn't_ do something this time that you did before. It has to be one of the two... what else could it be?"

On the viewscreen Harry Kim shrugged. "_Honest folks_," he said sincerely. "_We thoroughly documented the entire procedure the first time through… everything was meticulously recorded in case we had to repeat the process. We have done so numerous times now, but for some reason the Commander's neural net in the new test heads that we replicated aren't stabilizing this time around. His positronic matrix fluctuates unsteadily for a few minutes and then collapses completely. The software and the neural net are not integrating properly, even though they're an exact match with the originals that you transmitted to us_."

Doctor Zimmerman leaned back in his seat and considered the matter carefully before throwing up his hands with growing frustration. "Well… it beats the hell out of me what's wrong!" he stated emphatically. "Something we can't identify is different this time around… I hate to admit it but I think the Admiral is correct."

Standing next to him, McCoy put a gentle hand on Zimmerman's shoulder. "Where is _our_ version of Data… the Alpha Quadrant version? We should recruit him again and ask him for his input… after all, _he_ put together much of the material that we used for the original project."

Zimmerman chuckled dryly and shook his head, trying hard to keep his admittedly cynical point of view under control. "_Our_ Commander Data is still on assignment in the Gamma Quadrant," he pointed out. "And I already checked… the _Enterprise_ is not expected back on our side of the Bajoran wormhole for at least another month – perhaps even longer than that."

"Now _that's_ a definite problem," decided the Admiral. "Without him to bounce questions off of we've literally got bupkus to work with here!"

Ensign Kim nodded in agreement. "_I've gone back to computerized simulations_," he informed them. "_After replicating three brand new heads here on_ Voyager _and watching the positronic matrix collapse in each of them, it seemed kind of – well, morbid – to keep repeating the procedure over and over without first identifying the actual problem_." He held up both hands helplessly. "_Seven, Captain Janeway, Lt. Torres… they've all done a detailed double-check of my work to try and identify where I've gone wrong. They can't find_ anything _that I've done differently since our last successful effort_."

McCoy accessed the nearest work station and used it to pull up a detailed map of Commander Data's neural net so that he could study its intricacies carefully. "Replicating a basic neural net is the first step. Seven of Nine's modified nano-probes should then be able to fine-tune the rest of it all the way down to the quantum level if need be. I think something _biological_ is being overlooked this time… something basic to sentient life that we simply can't see."

"And just what would _that_ be?" asked Zimmerman crassly. "The miraculous _spark _of life? A precious touch on the head from the finger of God?"

"Yes… _yes_, you're being extremely cynical about the matter, but that's quite possibly the answer!" McCoy agreed unexpectedly, causing his colleague to wince with annoyance. "If there _is _truly a grand design to our universe, then it follows that we would not be allowed to create sentient life except in the manner designated by the Creator. That means male/female relations... it is how things have always worked since the beginning of known life… simple biology."

Dr. Zimmerman shook his head in angry disagreement. "Then _why_ was it permitted when Dr. Soong first created the original Data? For that matter, why was it permitted when _Voyager_'s crew was successful in creating a Delta Quadrant Data three weeks ago?" he demanded to know. "Why would the process of creating android life work _then_ and not now?"

Ensign Kim had been watching them argue on his own viewscreen. "_I agree with the Admiral_," he said suddenly. "_Data is not just_ any _android… Lt. Torres has had extensive experience with other androids that we discovered here in the Delta Quadrant. There's something about his design that is truly unique… his sentience is something that_ should _be difficult to duplicate. That's what has always made him such an important and vital member of Starfleet_."

"Thank you Ensign," said McCoy gratefully, bowing slightly at the waist toward the viewscreen.

"Then what would you suggest we do to resolve the problem Ensign?" asked Zimmerman curiously. "We need to find an actual answer to our problem in order to get yournew crewman operational and fully functioning again."

Harry carefully thought things through before answering. Both Zimmerman and McCoy continued studying the available data freshly transmitted to Jupiter station by the Ensign as he continued to evaluate their options. "_I think we should put 'the Data Project' on hold for a month or two_," he decided finally. "_It makes the most sense, after all_."

The Admiral's attention snapped immediately toward the viewscreen. "It does?" he asked incredulously, scratching his head. "_It does?_" he repeated for emphasis.

"_Yes_," replied Ensign Kim. It was true that he was a little nervous during the times when he interacted with the two Starfleet experts. Both of them had years of experience that dwarfed his time and experience aboard _Voyager_ considerably, but he was determined to get at the truth of the matter. Early on when they had first begun working together, he had discovered that stating what he felt was the truth – without trying to sugar coat it – was the best way to earn their respect. "_Look at the reality of our situation. We only have eleven minutes per day to interact with each other, and I think you will both agree with me that we all need time to review the latest telemetry_," continued the Ensign. "_So I think we should wait until Commander Data returns from his mission in the Gamma Quadrant before trying again. That will give both of you the time you need to complete a thorough analysis from your end of the galaxy. Seven of Nine and I will complete a duplicate study here on our end, and we can compare notes once Data has returned from his mission and is again available to link up with us_."

"I don't like that idea," growled Dr. Zimmerman. "It means we have failed to find the answer. That would be giving up, and I don't do that… I refuse to accept failure!"

"_It means that we have failed to find the answer… _for now_ Dr. Zimmerman,_" pointed out Harry with a chuckle. "_The immediate danger here in the Delta Quadrant is over… and you need to look at things from my point of view. It may be easy for you two to continue this project at Jupiter station, but you have no idea how many people I have to listen to here on _Voyager_ while they complain about us monopolizing that precious few eleven minutes per day we have available to communicate. Trust me, each of us taking our time to thoroughly review this problem will make it easier for Data to help us when he gets back. And it will also keep a lot of angry, family loving petty officers off my back_."

Zimmerman and McCoy exchanged glances. "You'll make sure to let us know if you discover something in the interim, won't you?" Dr. Zimmerman asked suspiciously.

"_Of course_," Ensign Kim replied. "_You two just make sure that you do the same. We'll get our version of Data operational again… it will simply take a little more time and patience than we anticipated. Obviously he is a much more complex being than we ever could have imagined when we first decided to tackle this project_."

"Sentient life always will be," mumbled the Admiral softly to himself. "That's what makes it so damned precious, even if so many of us don't always realize it."

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54962.4:

* * *

General Skellan and Prime Minister Idmund Ketterlin stood next to Captain Janeway on the _Voyager_ bridge. The central viewscreen was once again fixed on Governor Villip Ruksin, whose wife and children stood happily reunited with him in his office on Rafali Prime. Commander Chakotay had just beamed the Governor's youngsters back to him and the elation on his face was obvious. "_I cannot thank you enough for all that you and your crew have done for my people_," he told Janeway. "_The future for all of the Rafalian people looks much brighter, thanks due to you_." 

"I truly wish that there was more that we could do for you Governor," the Captain said honestly. Behind her, the lift doors opened and Chakotay emerged. "If we were on my side of the galaxy it would be very easy to station a team of cultural advisors on your planet… people with years of experience dealing with rapid cultural changes in a large population. But since we're here – in your neck of the woods – I have little choice but to drop off our Yukshaan passengers and then resume our course for home."

"_We are extremely grateful that you remained as long as you did… long enough for us to get our major issues addressed_," Ruksin acknowledged, nodding gratefully to her. "_My people were extremely skittish about taking advice from an alien Captain at first, but once they saw firsthand how badly people like Derryn Akseth and Hallis Jatt were misleading them… well, let's just say an objective third party suddenly became much more appealing to them_."

Janeway's eyes lit up and she suddenly snapped her fingers. "I'm glad that you brought that subject up Governor," she decided. "We still have the matter of your Prime Magnate to discuss. What do you want us to do with Derryn Akseth and the other prisoners we have confined here on _Voyager_? I'm sure you'll want them returned to the surface, since I certainly don't have room to confine them here."

The Governor smiled wryly as she watched him closely. "_Things have changed significantly since he became a 'guest' aboard your vessel,_" noted Ruskin with an amused laugh. "_But I'm certain that he is lonely and longing to return to the people he was appointed to serve. I therefore think you should return Akseth to the Temple Of The People… the place that he claims to love so very much_."

"We'll do that," agreed Janeway with a nod. "You may expect his arrival shortly."

"_Oh…_" Ruksin rose from his chair and nodded to her with great respect. "_Before I forget… please let me also offer a sincere thank you for returning the Enumalis to our Temple_," he acknowledged. "_The replica that I destroyed truly shook the faith of many of my people who witnessed that event. Now that the original has been restored, my political opponents cannot use its destruction as a rallying point to recruit additional rebels to their cause_."

"It was my pleasure to temporarily keep it safe from harm aboard _Voyager_," the Captain responded. "Your Enumalis is a beautiful symbol of your people's faith, and I must admit that I would not have felt completely comfortable if it had actually been destroyed due to our intervention in your affairs. This is a much better solution… now your people know firsthand that their faith can survive even a corrupt ministry. If someone tries to lead you astray in the future, you know now that you simply have to replace the bad souls with good ones and resume your prayers."

"_We will most certainly do that_," Ruksin promised as his wife and children stood next to him, all of them waving with bright smiles as they offered their good-byes. The transmission faded back to an image of Rafali Prime and the Captain smiled at the memories. Truly this part of their visit to the Delta Quadrant had yielded some very positive results.

"Thank you for rendezvousing with us General," she told Cabreu Skellan. "We'll accompany your flagship back to your fleet and insure that you and your entire delegation are safely returned to Yukshaan space. Also, if you could see that Joseth Addersbay gets a ride back to his people I would sincerely appreciate it."

"A favor I can easily accommodate," nodded the General respectfully.

"I too wish to thank you," admitted Ketterlin. "The damage to our world could have been much worse… I am glad that this Vryke creature is gone for good."

"So am I Minister Ketterlin," decided Janeway. "So am I." She looked a bit perplexed as she spoke the words. "I still haven't decided where to display the granite."

* * *

Each member of the command team had assembled on the bridge later that afternoon as _Voyager_ finally left the Yukshaan system behind for good. All eyes were on the viewscreen, watching the glowing remnants of the destroyed wormhole that the Vryke had once used on its journey to cross into the Delta Quadrant. The creature had done an excellent job of covering its tracks upon exiting… the subspace rupture was almost completely sealed. Still, 'Q' had dispatched them to these coordinates for a reason, so Janeway continued to hold on to the hope that they would find at least some kind of shortcut… even a minor one. Unfortunately, her traditional optimistic expectations had so far gone unrewarded on this occasion. 

Tuvok studied the information on his tactical console carefully, looking for any positive signs that would benefit their cause. "If we used a combination of phasers and photon torpedoes, we might be able to reopen the rift," he observed. "However, if we did so my projections indicate the new tunnel would reach less than ten percent of the distance remaining for our journey home."

B'Elanna was sitting at the engineering station and she turned in her seat, noting that – as expected – his eyebrow was raised. "_But_…" she said expectantly. "There has to be a _but_ to your next statement… there always is." She glanced toward Paris and he nodded his head with her in total agreement.

Again Tuvok glanced down at the complex instrumentation scanning the area around _Voyager_. "But," he continued with a dry glance toward Torres, "as everyone already knows, the wormhole reaches back through time. We have unsuccessfully encountered this type of obstacle before."

"How far back in time does it reach?" asked Janeway curiously.

Next to Tuvok, Seven of Nine performed several quick calculations. "This particular tunnel through space/time originated in the Alpha Quadrant, late twenty-third century Earth time. According to sensor estimates, the exit aperture on this end first appeared approximately fifteen months ago."

Chakotay glanced inquisitively toward Seven and Tuvok. "Could we adjust the intensity and yield of our weapons and use it to control the distance we travel?" he wondered. "Perhaps we could journey partially through the rupture and emerge at a closer exit point." He shrugged his shoulders. "We may not get all the way home, but it could take years off our journey."

Seven shook her head. "That would not be advisable," she countered. "The Borg have experimented repeatedly with time travel phenomena, even made use of it on many occasions – as Starfleet is well aware – to achieve a tactical advantage. There are always temporal dangers involved that must carefully be avoided in the process. For example, if we use our weapons to make the necessary adjustments to exit early, as Commander Chakotay is suggesting, we still would be traveling back through time… the temporal displacement was a constant in the equations used to create this rupture and cannot easily be changed. To do so would risk destroying the stability of the original rupture, and we would quickly discover that safe travel through it would then be impossible."

The Captain had been listening to the discussion patiently. "How _far_ back in time would we go?" she asked with a quick wave of one hand. "Suppose we shave a thousand light years or so off of our course and travel back in time six months… or even six weeks for that matter before exiting early. That still gives us a _tremendous_ advantage. Think about it… we could notify Starfleet that we would be out of contact with them for awhile. After all, we definitely wouldn't want to interfere with them as they communicate with the other _Voyager_, that earlier version of ourselves dealing with the Vryke problem."

Paris held his hands over his ears. "This is all very technical and _confusing_," he noted irritably.

Janeway organized her thoughts. "Step one: We use the wormhole to travel back in time and toward home. That throws us a lot closer to home and takes a year or two off of our trip. Step two: Since we're exiting back into our recent past, we shave even _more_ light years off the trip home by heading directly for the Alpha Quadrant at maximum warp once we arrive in the past. That means this version of _Voyager_ would be busy moving rapidly toward Earth while the earlier version of ourselves is communicating with Starfleet and solving the Vryke crisis. Step Three: Once time on this ship returns to the present we will have gotten even closer to home and can then re-establish contact with Starfleet Command."

Ensign Kim was elated. "I see what you mean Captain," he said. "That just might work!"

Tom Paris swiveled in his seat and stared at them. "You've got to be _kidding_ me!" he said with complete bewilderment, scratching his head. "Traveling to a past where we already exist means we would have TWO _Voyagers_ people," he declared, holding up two of the fingers on his right hand for emphasis. "If you think _I'm_ confused, just wait until you try to explain this one to Reg Barclay and Admiral Paris."

Chakotay had been listening quietly. "If we behaved ourselves it might be worth a roll of the dice," he admitted finally. "Once we used the wormhole, we would have to aim directly for home and _not_ interact with anyone until enough time passed to return us to the original point where we left. Otherwise we would risk creating unpredictable temporal disturbances or even inadvertently altering the future. If we encountered someone traveling back toward this area of space, for example, we certainly wouldn't want to change anything to do with their mission… especially if there is a possibility it might interfere with the earlier version of _Voyager_ entering Yukshaan space for the first time. We _need_ to let that earlier version of ourselves successfully confront and destroy the Vryke to prevent severe, unpredictable temporal disturbances from developing."

"We _wouldn't_ do anything to change history," promised Ensign Kim, enthusiastic as usual about even the remote possibility of a shortcut. "We could just head straight for home and not waver in the slightest until our ship's clock returned to the time when we left."

"As the Captain has pointed out, we would lose contact with Starfleet in the process," stated Tuvok matter of factly. "They need to know precisely where and when we will be at each point during our trip through the Delta Quadrant in order to open a micro-wormhole within our communications range. If we travel too far while remaining out of contact, we risk permanently losing that link with them."

"You and Seven can estimate our exit point from the subspace rupture and the expected distance we would travel until we returned to our present," said B'Elanna eagerly. "I'm sure we could arrange some sort of rendezvous point where contact could be re-established."

Janeway sighed heavily, accepting the reality of the situation. "Listen to us," she observed. "Really _listen_ to all the things that would have to go right in order for all of this to work. When does anything go completely the way it's supposed to, particularly the first time it's tried?" She met their gaze – each of them – one by one. "It's _too_ risky."

"Captain…" Ensign Kim stopped in mid-sentence as Chakotay glanced sternly at him.

"I know you think it can work Harry," the First Officer told him. "And there is every reason to believe that we could get away with it and have everything end as successfully as we want it to end. But can you _guarantee_ that we wouldn't encounter anybody? Can you assure us that we won't cross into someone's territory and unknowingly anger them? If we do anything while in the past with consequences that ripple back toward and interferes with the Yukshaan sector, it is quite possible the events that have already occurred there could change radically. Our success against the Vryke might even be undone, and all of those people in the Trade Coalition plunged back into war and chaos."

"We would be _careful_," Harry insisted. "We always are."

"Oh?" Chakotay regarded him sternly. "Have you received any messages from your future self lately Harry? Remember that fiasco? We've already given in to our enthusiasm once or twice before and taken those calculated risks to get home earlier – risks that almost killed everyone on this ship. We _can't_ blindly gamble with lives and time itself unless we're certain there is a high probability of success and minimal risk to the people living in the space we travel through."

"We could also _possibly_ justify it if our lives were at stake and we simply had no other alternative," decided Janeway. "The information that 'Q' provided to me promised that coming here would lead us to a wormhole that would cut a few years off of our journey," she pointed out, holding up the padd he had given her. "But I can't recall him ever stating specifically that the wormhole would still be open and stable enough to travel through. I think it would be totally in character for him to send us here simply so that he could watch us play the Good Samaritan to all of those people in the Trade Coalition. I am happy we were able to accommodate him and save lives, but I wish he had been more up front about the matter."

"That kind of behavior sounds _exactly_ like him," agreed Paris.

"So where does that leave us?" asked B'Elanna curiously. "We've saved the Yukshaan Trade Coalition, but we lost Data – lost our new crew member in the process. I for one was getting used to having him around… he's the fastest and most accurate backup engineer we've ever had!"

"Don't forget about the _Delta Flyer II_," Paris sighed, casting a nasty glance back over his shoulder at Ensign Kim. "We're looking at over a month's worth of repairs there, minimum."

Harry held up his hands defensively, with an expression of pure innocence. "I was only following orders," he said with a small smirk. "Commander Data made that call."

"I've studied the logs and your own report," Tom told him. "That tractor beam gimmick was all your idea… and it is _so_ like you Harry, putting the safety of your passengers before a perfectly good ship. Data wanted a distraction of some sort… he didn't specifically order you to use the _Flyer_ as a pinball in the process."

Ensign Kim was actually starting to look a little angered by Paris' comments. "Hey!" he said sharply. "There weren't a whole lot of other ideas to work with… the diversion had to _look_ harmless or we would have been instantly vaporized! I was there – remember?"

Everyone watched the two of them going back and forth for a few seconds longer. Finally, Janeway threw up her hands and laughed. "_Enough!_" she said louder than she wanted to. "The matter is settled… we may not like the bottom line, but messing around with time and the integrity of the future is most certainly _not_ an option on this occasion."

Chakotay nodded slowly in her direction. "I am in complete agreement with that decision," he told her. "This is one subspace rupture that needs to stay closed, even if it takes us longer to return to Earth."

"In that case we're heading for home ladies and gentlemen, and we're going to do it the old fashioned way. Set a course for the Alpha Quadrant Mr. Paris, and engage at maximum warp when ready."

"Aye Captain," he acknowledged with a nod.

It was a disappointing end to an otherwise satisfactory mission, but by now Janeway and her crew were used to such disappointments. There was a galaxy full of alternatives in front of them and she was fully confident that sooner or later they would find something to help them.

But that would not be today.

* * *

**_Author's Note:_** Coming soon! The exciting, unbelievable, Earth-shattering conclusion to "Star Trek: Eternal Soul"!!!!! Don't miss it! 


	22. Epilogue: Immortality

**DISCLAIMERS:** _The following chapter contains dialogue and material from an ACTUAL episode of "Star Trek: Voyager". The references and content are provided to serve as background for the conclusion to "Eternal Soul", since – as you will see – both are very closely interlinked. I realize that "Star Trek" and its characters are NOT mine, but nevertheless hope that this tribute pays proper homage to people who have kept us entertained for so many years._

_God Bless everyone and THANKS SINCERELY for reading this story! If you haven't already, I encourage you to also check out "Star Trek: Absolution", my other story that tells the tale of what happens, chronicling events that take place AFTER _Voyager_ returns to the Alpha Quadrant._

_By the way, this particular chapter is one of the MOST FUN that I have EVER written. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!_

* * *

**Star Trek Voyager: Eternal Soul**

**Epilogue: Immortality**

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Rafali Prime, Stardate 54962.5:

* * *

Derryn Akseth regained consciousness lying flat on his back, staring straight upward at a bright blue, sunlit sky. Rolling over onto his side, he noticed that he still wore the robes of Prime Magnate and that his body was resting on soft, freshly mowed green grass. He tried to clear his thinking, since all he remembered after his abduction and subsequent interrogation aboard _Voyager_ was a fight with some of Janeway's security personnel. After they collared him, the holographic Doctor had injected him with something and he had awakened to find himself…

_Home. _

A quick look around was all it took to realize that he was back on the grounds of the Temple of the People. Everything looked completely normal… even more so than it had in over a full season, in fact. All signs of the huge military presence that had been deployed at the rear of the building was now completely gone, including the stolen anti-matter missiles. Once again, Rafalian families were strolling freely about the Temple grounds, taking walks with their pets or watching running children laughing and playing and talking excitedly. Everyone looked enthusiastic as they toured the meticulously well-tended grounds surrounding their world's most sacred building.

Akseth shook his head in an attempt to focus his concentration and then stood up awkwardly, his limbs sore from the awkward position he had obviously lain in for quite some time until the sedative in his system wore off. He put a hand out in front of him and held it up to block out the bright sunlight, then staggered clumsily out from between two trees and into the open. A family of four on the sidewalk in front of him stopped in their tracks, their faces paling as they recognized him. "Why… that's Derryn Akseth," the woman gasped with surprise.

The Prime Magnate stared at them in puzzlement as they hurriedly backed away from him – he could hear the parents talking excitedly to each other as they urged their two children along. The family retreated to the front of the Temple building, where City Security officers stood careful guard. The father of the family went and talked to them briefly, turning and pointing toward Akseth as he told them what his family had seen. The Prime Magnate could not hear their conversation, but it was obvious from the expressions on both of the policemen's faces that they had been told to watch out for him.

Akseth felt immediately uncomfortable at the sight of the guards touching their sidearms as they began walking swiftly toward his position. He turned and ran toward the edge of the Temple grounds without looking back. Ahead he could see the outer edge of the trees ringing the central, open area and he didn't hesitate to look for possible places to hide. Behind him he could hear someone shouting for him to stop, but he ignored the order and continued running. _If they shoot me in the back, they will probably be doing me a favor!_ he thought rather uneasily to himself.

He passed other citizens as he ran and they too began to recognize him. Additional shouts sounded from behind him and the sounds of pursuit were definite… growing louder and louder as he continued to flee. Akseth left the Temple grounds at a full sprint and headed toward the outer edge of the city, ducking down side streets and moving between alleys in an attempt to try and hide himself. It was no use. Everywhere he went there were people, and everyone he encountered instantly recognized him. As they did so there were unmistakable expressions of anger and outrage on their faces… Akseth could not help himself and panicked.

By the time he reached the edge of the city, there was a sizeable crowd following him. Gasping for breath, he fell to his knees and found that he could run no farther.

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Yukshaan home world, Stardate 54964.3:

* * *

Major Cirillo Nexxim continued running at top speed, practically flying through the trees as fast as his thinning frame could carry him. The sound of pursuit was not far behind – he could hear the non-stop barking of the hounds and thrashing in the underbrush as soldiers moved closer every minute. His escape from the capital city of Vereketh during the chaos that followed the Vryke attack was due primarily to the removal of his beard… changing his appearance was the only thing that had saved him. He had been on the run ever since, and now both hunger and a lack of fresh water were quickly wearing him down. He had been able to beg and steal what he needed all the way to the city's outer limits, but that option was no longer available to him.

It was tough to see in the darkness surrounding him, a darkness lit only by faint starlight and the smallest sliver of a crescent moon in the sky high above him. More than once Nexxim stumbled as he ran, landing heavily in the dirt and then springing immediately back to his feet. Admittedly it was getting harder and harder to react quickly as his endurance began to wear down, but he had very few options left to him. For awhile he had managed to throw the animals off the scent by running along the edge of a small stream for several miles, thinking to himself how clever he was deceiving them. Now, however, the night time temperature was dropping quickly, his soaked boots felt like lead weights slowing his progress, and his feet were cold and wet. The tips of branches from the surrounding trees ahead repeatedly appeared unexpectedly out of the darkness as he plunged past them, scratching at his face and leaving the Major grunting in pain. He gasped heavily for breath with each new step, determined to elude his pursuers.

_If only he could reach the depths of the most heavily forested area ahead, he would be able to disappear into the thick forest beyond and hide near one of the river's tributaries._

Snarling with anger, Nexxim ducked down behind one of the trees as an aircraft from above slowed and hovered just long enough for two bright search lights to crisscross the area. Taking no chances he climbed inside one of the larger bush rows, ignoring the fresh new scratches he promptly received on his mostly bared arms and legs from the burrs on its brambly branches. His slacks were stained from sweat and what remained of his tattered shirt was hanging loosely over his belt. _But he was free and still alive. _The loud howls of the hounds behind him continued to grow closer – the Major had no choice but to hold his breath and ignore them for the moment, staying hidden until the crew in the aircraft was satisfied that they had thoroughly searched the area. The bright stabbing beams of both searchlights suddenly vanished and the concealing safety of darkness returned.

The Major fought his way out of the bushes as the air vehicle above him moved off slowly, its powerful lights flitting on now and then just long enough to illuminate the newly discovered clearings below it. The aircraft was heading back toward his pursuers, which gave Nexxim a brief ray of hope that they had underestimated his ability to move through the open ground. _Once I pass into the forest_, he promised himself, _I will disappear into the night. Not even the dogs will be able to track me once I reach the water_. It was a good plan, since the river broke into three smaller tributaries less than two kilometers distant. It didn't sound as though there were more than half a dozen people pursuing him and that pleased Nexxim. It meant that the aftermath of the Vryke attack on their home world had left everyone with much more to do than simply chase down people like him.

_Traitors like ME_.

The words flashed through his mind and burned themselves into his psyche, nearly causing him to panic. Pausing only briefly to breathe deeply and reenergize his body with oxygen, Nexxim's mind raced with anger over events that had already happened and could no longer be changed. _What was I supposed to have done?_ he asked himself over and over. _If I had not agreed to assist the Vryke it would have simply killed me and chosen someone else. Should that forever label me as a traitor? It isn't fair!_ his mind screamed. Conveniently he chose to ignore the memories of all the plotting and scheming that he had done with the creature over the past year… after all, no one had actually gotten hurt or killed as a result of those discussions. _Right?_

Nexxim continued to silently evaluate his past behavior as he ran, noticing that the surrounding trees were suddenly much taller and thicker at their base. The spacious clearings between shelter belts that he had earlier passed through were becoming smaller and smaller as he continued his reckless charge to the North. It couldn't be more than a half kilometer now to the edge of the Tzennemen Forest. Once he was inside the outer perimeter, its thick foliage would provide enough cover to prevent even unleashed hounds from moving quickly. If his pursuers chose to let the dogs probe ahead, then the Major would simply use his sidearm and kill them one at a time.

If the soldiers caught up to him, that was another matter entirely. So far Nexxim had not been _directly_ responsible for any of the deaths his people had suffered… he had simply acceded to the Vryke's demands and returned to Vereketh as the planet's new Prime Minister. After that, the strange alien creature had departed so quickly and so unexpectedly that there simply hadn't been _time_ for him to do anything else – thus he hardly felt that he deserved the 'most wanted' status bestowed upon him in the aftermath of the attack. A sympathetic jury would put him in prison for life, but an angry one could still convict him of high treason for his part in the assault. If, on the other hand, he was held accountable as an accessory in the deaths caused by the aborted attempt to overthrow the government, then the death penalty would not be far behind a conviction.

That was why he was hesitant to use his weapon against people. Killing someone to try and retain his freedom would _guarantee_ a death penalty, and sooner or later the military soldiers would most likely catch him anyway. Even if he managed to find someone still loyal to him and escape the borders of the Greater Pontayl, there was simply nowhere on the planet he could run to where his face would not be all over the news. Trying to create a new identity would take time, as would any significant effort to recruit allies who would hide him and keep him safe. Because of these factors he had already considered the option of giving himself up on several occasions, but rejected the idea. Nexxim's superiors had all the incentive they needed now to begin carefully reviewing the files in his office at Saal Pwan. He had shredded as much of the incriminating documentation as he could over the past season, but not enough to hide everything that he had done to assist the Vryke in its preparations for a global takeover.

The creature's attack had been as spectacular as it had promised, _but then it had simply disappeared and not come back! What had happened to it?_ The fact that it had taken so much time contacting and carefully recruiting him for the better part of a year had completely convinced Nexxim that it was not simply planning to conquer new territory and then just up and abandon their star system. The Vryke had laid out a complex, well defined plan to first seize control of the Yukshaan government and then use its military power to conquer Rafali Prime. Those who served it and helped the entity achieve its objectives were to be well rewarded, and those who resisted its influence would end up dead. _That_ was the way things were supposed to be… _that_ was the way things were supposed to have gone.

Thus the Major had rejected the idea of surrendering because he was still hoping that the creature would return… that it had simply been delayed for some unknown reason and was planning to come back. If he could retain control of his freedom long enough and the Vryke did indeed return to Yukshaan, then its domination of the home world would resume and he would be able to return to his people and resume his role as their new leader. And should events unexpectedly once again turn in his favor, he would not waste time this time wondering what the creature would do next. This time his political opponents would immediately be rounded up and incarcerated or shot. _All of them_.

Pausing at the base of a low hill Nexxim could see the dark, dense edge of the forest in the immediate distance beyond the scrub brush he was using for cover. The sounds of pursuit continued to sound closer and closer from behind him, so he was very surprised when his instincts caused him to hesitate before approaching the forest. Even the small sliver of moonlight had gone behind the clouds momentarily, so he could see nothing of what lay ahead and that truly bothered him. The hair on the back of his neck prickled, and he squinted through the darkness in an attempt to determine just what was wrong with the landscape in front of him. His need for survival urged him to run for the sheltering cover of the thick forest while he had the brief opportunity to do so, but his well disciplined military instincts told him something was wrong.

In the darkness between him and the edge of the forest, a set of headlights flickered on from a parked, military assault vehicle. As he watched the headlights from at least two dozen additional vehicles also suddenly lit up the night. The Major's last remaining hopes fell as he stared into the bright lights in front of him and realized that the pursuing soldiers had been a diversion, deliberately making slow progress in order to herd him toward the larger trap.

_He was caught and there was no way out this time_.

Determined not to cower in fear he tossed his sidearm toward the well lit area, held up his hands, and walked slowly out into the open. He would offer no resistance now, and they could choose to pass judgment on him however they liked. Nexxim was a man capable of accepting the reality of a tough situation, so he knew immediately that his days on the run were now over. His fate was no longer in his hands, and he could only hope that his peers would choose to be sympathetic in deciding his ultimate destiny.

With the entire area now blazing with light, the Major could see the silhouette of several soldiers approaching. Behind them, the blazing brightness from all of the headlights bathed the entire area in an eerie, almost supernatural glow. One massive, man-shaped silhouette in particular moved ahead of the others and bent over just long enough to retrieve Nexxim's weapon. Then the large, square shouldered man chuckled with dark laughter in a voice that was all too familiar to Nexxim. Inwardly he groaned even though he said nothing in response.

"It looks like our weasel hunt is finally over Major Nexxim," General Cabreu Skellan declared sharply. "I would appreciate it if you would accompany us peacefully back to the Saal Pwan base. There are a few unauthorized 'personnel reassignments' and many other oddities that I would like to talk to you about. I believe that Prime Minister Ketterlin is also there, and he would like to know specifically why you publicly declared yourself his successor during a non-election year. I must confess, I have a raging curiosity on these matters and can't wait to hear your answers to our questions."

Nexxim exhaled sharply and swore softly. _It would be Skellan who finally catches me_, he chided himself silently. _That arrogant pompous windbag of a General!_ Obviously, life was not even remotely fair and his failure in this matter was now total. Taking a deep breath he very carefully put his hands on his head, dropped to his knees and formally surrendered.

* * *

Delta Quadrant, Starship _Voyager_, Stardate 54970.3:

* * *

Seven of Nine ran into Mark Evans and James Belfield on her way out of the mess hall. She had assembled a basket containing all of the ingredients necessary for her planned surprise picnic with Chakotay… their official third date. Now all she needed to do was find her way back to Cargo Bay Two and set everything up in time for the Commander's expected arrival. Both of the crewmen in front of her were using their bodies to physically blockade the doorway as they held a very heated argument with Chell.

The intensity of the discussion finally forced Seven to tap Belfield on the shoulder and glare at him long enough to get the man's attention. Acknowledging her angry expression with a nod, the man stepped back just long enough for her to reenter the corridor. As soon as she passed, both men quickly held up their hands again to prevent the Bolian from entering.

Chell had boldly volunteered to take charge of the mess hall now that Neelix and Commander Data were no longer available. Since Evans and Belfield had over four months of tenure working at least part time in _Voyager_'s galley, they were naturally a bit concerned about the aggressive move their fellow crewman was making. They wanted to make certain that the Bolian respected 'their turf' and didn't upset the tentative applecart that they had put together in the mess hall over the past few months.

"I've already cleared it with the Captain," Chell told them proudly. "Both of you have done a lot of work in the kitchen, but since you weren't willing to take the head chef's hat I stepped up, took the plunge and officially volunteered." He smiled at them. "So let's get busy," he said, handing them a padd with his official reassignment listed on it. "Today's lunch will be _Red Alert Chili_ with a side of garlic bread."

Seven shrugged with indifference, ignoring the rest of their conversation and continuing hurriedly down the corridor. She ran into Harry Kim unexpectedly and paused with growing frustration at his amused expression. "Tom and B'Elanna are at it again," the Ensign informed her with a grin. "They just left Sickbay without a new baby daughter and a very frustrated holographic physician. Maybe next time, I guess."

"Another false alarm?" She watched him nod affirmatively at her speculation and smiled wryly. "Sooner or later, I predict that Lt. Torres will ask the Doctor to simply beam the baby out of her."

"It wouldn't be the first time we've done that," Harry replied, watching with some surprise as she hurriedly shrugged by him and continued on her way. "What's with the picnic basket?" he asked curiously, only to watch her ignore the question completely. Her receding figure vanished around the corner, and he tried not to let the snub aggravate him. "Obviously, it's none of my business," he decided with a shake of his head. Turning toward the mess hall he began chuckling. "I hope you're ready to play kal-toh in a whole new way Mr. Tuvok," he said, heading for the mess hall.

* * *

Later in the afternoon, Seven studied Neelix carefully on the sizeable, main Astrometrics Lab viewscreen. She was hoping to get a reaction out of him, but even his larger than usually poker face gave nothing away. "Your move," she told him firmly.

"_Green, grid 1210_," said Neelix in response. Both of them moved the appropriate game pieces on their respective kadis-kot boards so that they could study the result and continue to play their long distance game via subspace communication.

Seven evaluated his decision and promptly came up with one of her own. "Red, grid 313."

Neelix adjusted his game board to account for her move. "_Tricky_," he decided.

Hoping to distract him, Seven tried small talk. "How's Brax?" she asked curiously.

"_Wonderful. Thanks for asking_," her long distance friend replied, smiling proudly. "_I know I can never replace his father, but…_"

Seven smiled warmly. "I have no doubt the boy looks up to you."

Since subspace communications were so advanced and still permitted contact with Neelix's colony, the pair had continued playing each other on a regular basis. Ever since Naomi had first played against him that first day Commander Data took over the mess hall, Neelix had become determined to beat both her and Seven. Naomi had defeated him soundly that first day, impressing all of Governor Ruksin's children in the process. Seven had continued to chat with him after that, and the two of them had decided to keep in touch as long as the growing distance between them permitted two way visual contact.

"_Orange, grid 1012_." Neelix's voice snapped her back into focus. It wasn't often that Seven could be distracted, but her Talaxian friend had picked the right day this time. Her private thoughts were still primarily drifting to memories of Chakotay and their picnic. "_I haven't told anyone, but I'm thinking of asking Dexa to marry me_," Neelix confessed, his alien features appearing to blush as he spoke the words.

"She would be wise to accept," Seven told him, causing him to smile even more.

Neelix's smile changed to a look of mischief. "_That's enough of my love life. How about yours?_"

Seven glanced down at her hands a little awkwardly. "I don't _have_ a love life," she insisted.

Even though he was light years distant, Neelix refused to be deterred in his search for gossip. "_Oh? What about your relationship with Commander Chakotay?_" he asked.

The blonde, female former Borg drone decided that they had had enough idle chat for one day. "It's your turn," she pointed out, nodding toward the kadis-kot board.

Neelix chuckled in triumph. "_Actually, it's yours_." He paused, gauging her reaction carefully. "_At least tell me how he liked the picnic_."

Her face lit up at the memory of the date. "It was an enjoyable activity for both of us. Thank you for suggesting it."

"_Anytime_." Neelix paused, continuing to watch her reaction as he waited for her next move. The unexpected sound of a warning alarm caught them both by surprise. Seven's Astrometrics console lit up brightly as incoming sensor data activated several preset scanning programs. "_What is it?_" he asked, curious as to the cause of the interruption.

Seven checked the console and reviewed the data listed carefully, her fingers dancing over the control panel. "Long range sensors are detecting extremely high neutrino emissions," she informed him. "They are accompanied by an intermittent graviton flux approximately three light years away."

The Talaxian perked up noticeably. "_A wormhole?_" he asked hopefully.

"I'm not sure." Seven continued evaluating the incoming readings as quickly as the main computer updated them. "I'll need to conduct more scans."

"_We can finish our game tomorrow_," Neelix suggested.

"I'll contact you at the usual time." He nodded and terminated the transmission. The viewscreen darkened, returning to its view of outer space and leaving her to evaluate the extraordinary sensor readings coming in.

* * *

Captain Janeway naturally wanted an update on the unexpected discovery as soon as possible. Once the appropriate data was recorded and ready for review, Seven relayed it to the bridge and then joined most of the command crew there. She decided to begin her presentation by getting to the heart of the matter and displayed a long range telescopic image of a massive, amber colored nebula on the main science station screen.

"The emissions are occurring at the center of the nebula. There appear to be hundreds of distinct sources."

"Which could translate to hundreds of wormholes." As usual, Harry Kim had difficulty restraining his emotions whenever a potential opportunity to reach the Alpha Quadrant surfaced. And over the years, more than a few of them had…

Seven paused briefly to let him finish before continuing. "The radiation is interfering with our sensors, but if Ensign Kim's enthusiasm turns out to be justified, it would be the most concentrated occurrence of wormholes ever recorded."

Janeway hadn't thought about 'Q' and his promised 'shortcut' for many days now, but memories of his sincere offer resurfaced briefly as she evaluated Seven's findings. _It would be just like 'Q'_, she thought, _to provide us with a rough direction intentionally… to make us think that there was nothing relevant to our journey home in the Yukshaan sector and then suddenly discover a new surprise well after the fact_. "Any idea where they lead?" she asked.

"Not yet," Harry said with the most serious expression they had ever seen on his face. "But if just one of them leads to the Alpha Quadrant…"

Standing in the background, Tom Paris chuckled. "Who knows, Harry?" he said with more than a little amusement. "It might take us right into your parents' living room!"

Janeway raised an index finger to catch his attention. "Alter course Mr. Paris," she decided, then turned toward Kim. "Ensign, when you speak to your mother, tell her we may need her to move the sofa!"

* * *

_As things turned out, investigating the newly discovered nebula led _Voyager_ and crew straight into the center of a 47 ship Borg task force carefully concealed there. Upon barely avoiding a collision and escaping assimilation, Captain Janeway made the very difficult decision to leave the nebula behind, citing safety as her primary concern. Shortly thereafter,_ Voyager _encountered a shuttle from thirty-three years in the future carrying a future version of 'Admiral Janeway' aboard a shuttle carrying significant advances in Starfleet technology. _

_On Stardate 54973.4, the crew began outfitting _Voyager_ with ablative armor technology and trans-phasically enhanced photon torpedoes. The remainder of this portion of the story –_ _that final journey home for both Captain and her gallant crew – has already been carefully chronicled in the two-part series finale "Endgame". You the reader may wish to watch the episode again and celebrate the early return home one more time, but FIRST there is one small additional matter that you need to know about. For additional details, I suggest you read on!_

* * *

Alpha Quadrant, Starship _Relativity_, Stardate 245495.4:

* * *

Commander Thomas Ducane paused near the _U.S.S. Relativity_'s shuttle bay, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the pilot that had just docked his vessel there. After the disastrous fall of Captain Braxton – his former CO – the 29th century starship had been running with Ducane acting as its temporary Captain for over eight months until a new officer could be reassigned. Earlier in the morning he had been pleased to discover that a final choice been made and the successful candidate was already on the way to rendezvous with the large, sophisticated temporal starship.

That final, infamous incident with Braxton was solid proof that time travel had its drawbacks. The Captain, obsessed with Captain Janeway and _Voyager_, had become mentally unstable at a future date and misused his authority to travel back through time in an attempt to destroy the starship. Even months later, Ducane's fellow crewmembers were still talking about the bizarre occurrence… particularly the bridge officers. After all, then Captain Braxton had been completely unaware that he was actually pursuing a future version of _himself_ for most of the investigation. Even though time travel was second nature to them by now, Ducane and the rest of his crew had been shaken by the incident.

_You are under arrest, Captain, for crimes you are _going_ to commit._

The startling revelation that Braxton was the culprit they had invested so much time and effort searching for had shaken everyone's confidence. Crewmen and women aboard the _Relativity_ had full access to a great deal of sophisticated technology, and all of them had been highly trained and disciplined over the years regarding the importance of _not_ tampering with a stable timeline. Commander Ducane was quite pleased with the latest developments, since he had gained a lot of experience during his time serving as the starship's Captain. The new officer would immediately take over the top role, leaving Ducane as the ship's First Officer. Given the highly stressful nature of their assignments and the need to constantly monitor ripples in time, falling back in status as the new Captain's Number One was just fine with Thomas Joseph Ducane.

"Ducane to the bridge. Lt. Ingram, are you there?"

"_Ingram here. What can we do for you Captain?_"

"We have successfully recovered the shuttle. Please reactivate our temporal shielding and phase the _Relativity_ back out of normal space/time." The Commander chuckled a bit as he watched the shuttle pilot walking swiftly toward the access hatchway closest to him. "And you'd better get used to calling me Commander again… our new Captain is on board and appears very eager to assume his new duties."

"_I'll pass the word along to everyone else_," she said with a light laugh of her own.

"I suspect our new Captain will want a quick tour of the ship, so you folks had better have everything ship shape up there."

"_Don't worry sir_," Lt. Jessica Ingram promised. "_We'll make you proud_."

The hatch doors slid open and Ducane found himself face to face with his new superior officer. "Welcome aboard the _Relativity_ Captain Data," the Commander said with a nod as the security team standing behind him snapped instantly to full attention. "Your official transfer has already been received… congratulations on your new assignment."

"Thank you," the android replied with a warm smile. He shook Ducane's hand firmly before the two of them dismissed the security team and headed for the bridge. "I was informed by Starfleet Command that we already have a problem to address… that your crew has detected a code orange violation of the timeline."

"Affirmative," Ducane acknowledged as the two of them stepped into a turbolift. "The full effects of the change haven't rippled all the way forward to our century yet, but the violation of the Temporal Prime Directive has been confirmed. I'm sorry to say that it appears to be Captain Janeway again…" the Commander paused, glancing down at the data padd in his hand. "Pardon me, sir, I've been reading my updates on the way down to meet you. Apparently _Admiral_ Janeway is attempting to use stolen Klingon technology to travel back in time thirty-three years. According to our initial survey, she plans to assist _Voyager_ and the earlier version of herself in returning home after only seven years in the Delta Quadrant instead of the twenty-three years that her unplanned mission is supposed to take. We are already prepping the ship for a return voyage to the 24th Century so that we can intervene and prevent her from altering the future."

Captain Data waited patiently until the lift doors snapped open on Deck 1. They both stepped out onto the bridge and the Commander caught Jess Ingram's eye with a sparkle as he took the First Officer's seat and allowed the android to sit down in the center chair. "We will not be traveling back to the 24th Century on this particular matter," Data informed a stunned Ducane. "I have already reviewed the matter with Starfleet Command and – even though the change is an unplanned one - they have decided to permit it to take place."

"But our entire history from the point of tampering will be altered substantially," pointed out Ducane with a puzzled expression on his face. "Why would they decide to do that?"

Data sat quietly in the Captain's chair for a moment before answering. "Are you familiar with Federation history during that thirty-three year timeframe?" he asked curiously.

"Somewhat. Lt. Ingram is our historical expert and has reviewed the facts more thoroughly." He glanced at her expectantly.

Jessica nodded at his prompting and brought up a computer model showing a single timeline on the left side of her screen that progressed to the right, eventually splitting into two slightly diverging lines at a pre-identified point during _Voyager_'s seventh year in the Delta Quadrant. "As you both know, there are certain key focal points in time where seemingly unimportant events can have major repercussions if there is tampering and a crux event either occurs or fails to occur. Part of our job is insuring that these crucial points in time are fully protected."

Ducane nodded in agreement. "We have already confirmed that Admiral Janeway's plan to return to the Delta Quadrant is _not_ one of these crux events, but it does interfere with four future ones. This event appears to fall under the classification of a pre-destination paradox, and that _is_ an event where Starfleet Command has the leeway to make a subjective 'judgment call' – if you will – as granted to them by the Temporal Prime Directive in our Federation Charter."

"A pre-destination paradox," their new android Captain mused, his brow wrinkling in thought. The speed at which he processed the information was astonishing in comparison to a biological, humanoid brain, but over the years Data had learned just how long to delay his responses during conversations. He considered the matter to be android etiquette and had carefully refined the necessary subroutines after centuries of practice.

Lt. Ingram smiled. "Sometimes time has to 'work out the kinks', so to speak," she continued. "Most people equate the timeline with a river, flowing for the most part in one direction as each year passes." She shrugged her shoulders. "For the most part that analogy holds true if you can imagine water flowing in a three dimensional environment. However, like a river trying to poke its way through new territory, every once in a while some of the water will hit an obstacle and flow backward until the rest of it erodes enough ground for everything to flow evenly again. This is the best example I can give you of what Admiral Janeway's situation is… it's something that has to happen after the consequences of her earlier decision haunt her. Eventually she reaches a point where she decides to use the technology that she worked with during her extra time in the Delta Quadrant and travel back in time to help her earlier self make a different decision."

"That's the part that bothers me most about this type of problem," admitted Ducane. "I don't think Starfleet should get to choose whether or not we allow Admiral Janeway to proceed. There were lots of people who would have gone back and made changes even earlier in Earth's history if they could have… if only they had the proper technology at their disposal. Those people had to live with the consequences of the initial decisions they made. That's why I think Janeway should have to live with her decisions as well."

Data listened patiently. "You are only one person Commander," he pointed out. "Each of us admittedly has judgment that is subjective, which is why operatives at Starfleet Command have taken steps in setting up a Council specifically to review these types of situations. I have little doubts that our intervention – or lack thereof – in past historical events will become a regular part of our job as time continues to progress forward through the years. It most certainly has on this occasion." He turned his head thoughtfully toward Lt. Ingram. "Please summarize the major differences in the two diverging timelines for us. Thirty-three years appears to be a relatively short span in history."

"Aye sir," Jessica replied crisply. "The computer has identified the four critical occurrences that will be changed by the incursion… all of which would now have a positive, rather than a significantly negative, impact throughout our galaxy. If we stop the Admiral, _Voyager_ will take twenty-three years to reach the Alpha Quadrant, resulting in a later promotion for Janeway. As a result of this, the Borg continue to ravage the Delta Quadrant far longer than they would have if the trip back through time is permitted. Although the Admiral doesn't realize it until she returns, her death is used to deliver a fatal blow to the Borg that leaves them a permanent minority in the galaxy. Of course we know from our own current history that the Borg are eventually forcibly beaten in the second timeline as well, but their downfall occurs much sooner during Admiral Janeway's revision of history. The computer has calculated a 99.4 percent probability that this is one of those times when 'the river running backwards for a little bit' is a good thing."

"And the other three significant events?" Having taken time to arrange for the new Captain's transfer, Commander Ducane had been unable to complete as thorough a study on the crisis as Ingram. Thus he was as curious about her findings as Data was.

"All three of them almost exclusively affect the Alpha Quadrant, two of which trigger lengthy wars that literally cost _billions_ of lives. One of them is started by the Breen, the other by the Romulans. At the point the Admiral leaves, our Federation is still recovering from the Dominion war. Thus they are unprepared for new conflicts and vulnerable to attack… the Admiral whom Janeway replaces if _Voyager_ gets home sooner makes several big decisions in the original timeline that turn out to be bad calls and many lives are lost because of that. History records this particular Admiral's decisions rather unfavorably, but judging decisions after the fact has always been easy for those of us who write our historical records to do. Potential candidates in that time period with the experience to be Admirals are quite limited, due primarily to casualties inflicted by the Dominion. Thus the Starfleet personnel of that time acted as well as they could given the circumstances."

Ducane scratched the dark, neatly combed hair on his head. "I don't like this…" he declared with a hint of frustration. "If we allow these types of corrections to take place, then we're basically playing God. We're making decisions about who lives and who dies… Starfleet knows that."

"Yes," Data said in agreement, his golden eyes never leaving Ingram. "And that is why we must listen to them on this occasion. The temporal science we use to analyze the flow of time and keep it stable does not allow for black or white, right or wrong decisions. Based solely on what Lt. Ingram has shared with us so far, the area between these divergent points in the timeline is obviously quite gray, in fact."

"Many lives admittedly _will_ be saved between the 24th century and ours. However, what if people who are born because of Admiral Janeway's change – or _not_ born, for that matter – trigger something even more dark and deadly down the road?" Ducane knew the decision had been made, but he was determined to make certain that all options were explored. It was now his job, as the _Relativity_'s new First Officer, to present his Captain with all of the available options he could think of.

"In that case, the computer would detect the negative changes in the timeline. It would already have reported the information to us as a code red negative," stated Lt. Ingram informatively. "But that is not the case here, since we have reviewed the entire timeline as far forward as our scanners are capable of measuring."

"What if the negative outcome doesn't occur until a point in time _farther_ ahead than our maximum scanning range?" asked Ducane with interest. "We could be risking a big surprise down the road, leaving a huge problem for our descendants… people who shouldn't have inherited the problem if we had only kept the timeline stable when we had the chance."

"I agree with that assessment," Data told him. "However, there is also the possibility that not allowing the incursion causes the same type of problem. There is no denying that this is at least partially a judgment call, but I have information from Starfleet Command that so far has not been shared with the crew of the _Relativity_."

Now it was Lt. Ingram's turn to be curious. "You do?" she asked. "What, specifically, if I may ask?"

"Starfleet Command has been contacted by people on numerous occasions from even farther ahead into our own future. When I heard this news it became immediately apparent that the United Federation of Planets will continue to exist for many centuries after ours. The people who came back in time to communicate with us made it quite clear that they can see even farther ahead, so Starfleet is not simply guessing on this matter. They know that the decision to allow Admiral Janeway to proceed is an acceptable risk, and it was their recommendation that Starfleet allow her to proceed."

Ducane found himself unexpectedly, suddenly in agreement with his new Captain. He glanced at the android and smiled. "That makes a lot of sense," he decided. "In fact, it makes perfect sense. We've known from the start that we wouldn't be able to keep _everything_ perfect… we can only patch the timeline in the places where it is most damaged."

"Pre-destination paradoxes are notoriously difficult to manage," said Lt. Ingram informatively. Her blonde bangs hung down over her forehead as she leaned down and continued to study information displayed on her screen. "In this case the timeline flows forward normally until Admiral Janeway commits herself to traveling back to an earlier point. The changes that her presence in her own past causes occur instantaneously, even though the people living during the years between her departure and arrival notice no difference."

"The people who would have lived but _aren't_ born due to the changes the Admiral makes will never notice a difference either." Commander Ducane's expression was deadly serious.

"Life is difficult and involves tough decisions that may always lead to major consequences," responded Data coolly. "It has always been that way, and quite probably always will be. That is the nature of the universe in which we live. Tell me, would you prefer to be an Admiral or a General during one of those wars that _might_ take place if we stop Admiral Janeway? Would you prefer to live on a battlefield, making horrific decisions about who to sacrifice so that others might live?"

Ducane paused briefly and gave Data's statement some heavy thought. "I guess not," he decided.

"Up until now, the _Relativity_ and its sister ships have been busy identifying and correcting damage to the time line… areas of recurring, endless loops or sizeable temporal disturbances that occur naturally as our universe changes around us. Our guests from the future have informed Starfleet that we're going to have to grow and become much more like them, to work toward what they already are. We must become much more focused around crux events. Many of these pre-destination paradoxes have been and will continue to be permitted; there is simply no way of getting around it."

Out of curiosity, Lt. Ingram had pulled up Data's personnel file. "You've actually been around since the _24th century?_" she gasped as she read his significantly long and decorated service record. "You _do_ realize that your experience with the people of that century officially disqualifies you from making an objective decision regarding the Janeway matter, don't you?"

Data's smile was thin but amused. "That is just one of the reasons why Starfleet Command makes the final decision," he told her in reply. "I am here because it is now my duty to serve as your Captain. I fully intend to do so for as long as I am able."

The look on Commander Ducane's face was one of astonishment. "You've been around since the 24th century?"

Commander Data shook his head negatively. "That was not me personally, but the original model designed and constructed by Dr. Noonien Soong. There were many attempts to copy my design during that time period, all of which were eventually unsuccessful. After the death of the original – my great grandfather actually – further attempts were postponed for many years in order to offer proper tribute to his legacy. During his lifetime, the original Data made certain that he took the time to download his entire memory on repeated occasions. He also recorded very precise maps of his neural net at the same time in the hopes that someday – when technology became advanced enough – copies like me could again be activated."

Ducane chuckled. "So the Lieutenant and I have the honor of serving with the original Data's great grandson?"

"You do," Captain Data acknowledged. "I am a state of the art Data-Class android. My rights as a unique, sentient being are officially recognized and defined in the amended laws of the Federation Charter. Additionally, this version of me has been outfitted with significant improvements to the original design. My memory capacity, for instance, has been greatly expanded to hold the combined life experiences of all my predecessors. Essentially I have over three centuries of experience downloaded from dozens of other androids."

Jessica Ingram's jaw dropped. "I'll never question an order again," she said with disbelief.

Data rose to his feet and glanced at the star-studded viewscreen. "We will continue our mission in the tradition of those who have lived and died before us," he said sincerely. "And, since we are certain the outcome is 99.4 percent positive, we will permit Admiral Janeway to travel back in time and assist her crew in returning early to the Alpha Quadrant. The _Relativity_ will not intervene in her effort to bring _Voyager_ home sooner."

"As long as no one tells Captain Braxton," decided Ducane with a wry grin. He looked at Ingram and laughed. "I won't if you won't."

The two of them conversed softly while Captain Data continued to watch the stars. His thoughts drifted back to all of his friends from the past – so many over the centuries. Particularly on this day he remembered Commander Bruce Maddox, then Chief of Robotics at the Starfleet's Daystrom Institute of Technology. It had taken centuries, but his old friend Bruce Maddox's fondest wish regarding Data had finally come true.

_With the completion of his posting to the _Relativity_, there was _finally_ a Data aboard every Federation starship_.

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**THE END!!!**


End file.
